Description of an automatic copulation induction system used to establish a free-mating laboratory colony of Nyssorhynchus deaneorum from Brazil

Abstract

BACKGROUND Nyssorhynchus deaneorum is a potential malaria vector because it has been shown to be competent to transmit Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum, and because it exhibits antropophilic and endophilic behaviors in some regions of the Amazon. This profile makes Ny. deaneorum a useful mosquito for experiments that model Plasmodium-vector interactions in the Amazon. OBJECTIVE Herein we describe how a free-mating colony of Ny. deaneorum has been established using an automated light stimulation system. METHODS Mosquitoes were captured in São Francisco do Guaporé, Rondônia. The F1 generation was reared until adult emergence at which point copulation was induced using an automatic copulation induction system (ACIS). FINDINGS After four generations, natural mating and oviposition began to occur without light stimulation. The number of pupae and adult mosquitoes increased from the F 5 to F 10 generations. The new Ny. deaneorum colony exhibited susceptibility to P. vivax. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Automated light stimulation is an effective method for establishing an Ny. deaneorum colony under laboratory conditions as it produces enough adults to create a stenogamic colony. The establishment of a stable, P. vivaxsusceptible colony of Ny. deaneorum makes it possible to model parasite-vector interactions and to test novel drug therapies that target parasite development in mosquitoes.

Effects of Carbohydrate Intake on Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles deaneorum Fitness under Lab-Reared Conditions

“…darlingi and An. deaneorum have been established and maintained since 2018 by the principal authors of Araujo et al [2] and Araujo et al [3]. The colonies are reared under controlled conditions of temperature (26 ± 1 • C) and humidity (70% ± 10%), and kept under a 12 h light-dark cycle.…”

“…The rearing and maintenance of anopheline colonies in the laboratory is a prerequisite for understanding various aspects of mosquito biology, insecticide resistance, and pathogenmicrobiota-mosquito interactions, as well as for studying and assessing transmissionblocking activities of drugs and vaccines [1]. To study the interaction between Anopheles mosquitoes and malaria vivax, we have colonized two species of Anopheles in our laboratory: Anopheles darlingi [2] and Anopheles deaneorum [3].…”

“…darlingi and An. deaneorum [2,3], a high mortality rate for males had been observed that limited our attempts to induce copulation using flashes of light. The introduction of honey as a carbohydrate source improved male survival.…”

“…darlingi and An. deaneorum colonies was achieved using a 15% honey solution sourced from local honey produced by stingless bees [2,3]. After obtaining these colonies, we sought to investigate whether maintaining mosquito colony with a 15% honey solution could interfere with certain aspects of An.…”