Sex before or after blood feeding: Mating activities of Aedes aegypti males under conditions of different densities and female blood feeding opportunities

Dieng, Hamady; Satho, Tomomitsu; Abang, Fatimah; Wydiamala, Erida; Kassim, Nur Faeza Abu; Hashim, Nur Aida; Zuharah, Wan Fatma; Noweg, Gabriel Tonga

doi:10.1016/j.aspen.2018.12.025

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…This suggests that the presence of indole enhanced the male attraction to this blend, but the effect of indole was reduced by the presence of phenol in the quaternary blend. Males of Aedes spp assembled in the vicinity of the host apparently to catch females coming to feed 64,65 . The fact that males are attracted to hosts has been previously reported in Ae.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rat volatiles as an attractant source for the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

Díaz-Santiz

Rojas

Casas-Martínez

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Aedes albopictus is a vector of dengue, chikungunya, and dirofilariasis. Volatile compounds are crucial for mosquitoes to locate their hosts. This knowledge has allowed the identification of attractants derived from human odours for highly anthropophilic mosquito species. in this study, we used rats as a experimental model to identify potential attractants for host-seeking Ae. albopictus females. porapak Q extracts from immature female rats were more attractive to Ae. albopictus females than those from mature and pregnant females, and males. Phenol, 4-methylphenol, 4-ethylphenol, and indole were identified compounds in male, immature, mature, and pregnant female extracts. There were quantitative differences in these compounds among the extracts that likely explain the discrepancy in their attractiveness. Ae. albopictus females were not attracted to the single compounds when was compared with the four-component blend. However, the binary blend of 4-methylphenol + 4-ethylphenol and the tertiary blend of 4-methylphenol + 4-ethylphenol + indole were as attractive as the four-component blend. In the field trials, BGS traps baited with the tertiary or quaternary blends caught more Ae. albopictus females and males than BGS traps without lures. This is the first laboratory and field study to identify compounds that mediate the attraction of Ae. albopictus to one of its hosts. Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) is a mosquito native to Southeast Asia, however is a highly invasive mosquito species and is difficult to control 1,2. This mosquito species is considered a secondary vector of dengue, other arboviruses and canine dirofilarisis 2,3. Recently, Ae. albopictus has also been incriminated as a primary vector in epidemics of chikungunya fever (CHIK) in several countries bordering the Indian Ocean, Central Africa and Europe 4,5. In addition, Ae. albopictus has shown a rapid geographical spread in recent decades 6 , as it has high genetic, physiological and ecological plasticity 7. Ae. albopictus is frequently found in suburban and rural areas where open spaces with vegetation predominate. Several studies have reported that this mosquito species feeds on a great number of hosts, such as mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles 8-11 , suggesting that Ae. albopictus is an opportunistic mosquito and possibly a vector of zoonotic and human arboviruses. The host-seeking behaviour of mosquitoes is a complex process that involves the use of chemical and physical cues emitted by the hosts 12,13. This knowledge has allowed the identification of different attractant blends derived from human odours for highly anthropophilic mosquito species, including Anopheles spp., Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes aegypti 12,14-19. Some of these blends have been evaluated with Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. For example, BG-Sentinel (BGS) traps baited with a BG-lure (ammonia, lactic acid and caproic acid), octenol and CO 2 captured more Ae. albopictus mosquitoes than CDC light traps and gravid traps 20. Further, it was found that the L-lactic acid ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rat volatiles as an attractant source for the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

Díaz-Santiz

Rojas

Casas-Martínez

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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“…The feeding avidity patterns that we observed may also reflect the interrelated timing and biological context of mating and blood feeding for Ae . aegypti in nature, with swarming males mating with females as they approach hosts to feed [ 39 , 45 , 48 , 49 ]. Multiple successive blood feedings in a single gonotrophic cycle are a well-documented feature of Ae .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In these swarms, males fly in characteristic figure-eight “patrolling” patterns near hosts [ 46 , 47 ], increasing their odds of finding a host-seeking female [ 39 , 48 ]. As females that approach hosts to blood feed are often intercepted and inseminated by swarming males either before or after obtaining a blood meal [ 49 ], researchers have long suspected potential biological crosstalk between mating and blood feeding. However, our understanding of the relationship between mating and blood feeding in mosquitoes suffers from several longstanding and unresolved discrepancies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of mating and sugar feeding on blood-feeding physiology and behavior in the arbovirus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti

et al. 2021

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Background Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are globally distributed vectors of viruses that impact the health of hundreds of millions of people annually. Mating and blood feeding represent fundamental aspects of mosquito life history that carry important implications for vectorial capacity and for control strategies. Females transmit pathogens to vertebrate hosts and obtain essential nutrients for eggs during blood feeding. Further, because host-seeking Ae. aegypti females mate with males swarming near hosts, biological crosstalk between these behaviors could be important. Although mating influences nutritional intake in other insects, prior studies examining mating effects on mosquito blood feeding have yielded conflicting results. Methodology/Principal findings To resolve these discrepancies, we examined blood-feeding physiology and behavior in virgin and mated females and in virgins injected with male accessory gland extracts (MAG), which induce post-mating changes in female behavior. We controlled adult nutritional status prior to blood feeding by using water- and sugar-fed controls. Our data show that neither mating nor injection with MAG affect Ae. aegypti blood intake, digestion, or feeding avidity for an initial blood meal. However, sugar feeding, a common supplement in laboratory settings but relatively rare in nature, significantly affected all aspects of feeding and may have contributed to conflicting results among previous studies. Further, mating, MAG injection, and sugar intake induced declines in subsequent feedings after an initial blood meal, correlating with egg production and laying. Taking our evaluation to the field, virgin and mated mosquitoes collected in Colombia were equally likely to contain blood at the time of collection. Conclusions/Significance Mating, MAG, and sugar feeding impact a mosquito’s estimated ability to transmit pathogens through both direct and indirect effects on multiple aspects of mosquito biology. Our results highlight the need to consider natural mosquito ecology, including diet, when assessing their physiology and behavior in the laboratory.

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“…6 The presence or absence of powder in the different cross-combinations and the order of female presentation had no observable effect on copulation time (Figure 2). Overall copulation time (s) CI was 17-20 s; and average copulation time (s), CI and the total number of females sampled per crosscombination were MM-MF 17 (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)24), MM-UF 19 (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)24), UM-MF 18 (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)26), UM-UF_CAM 21 (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)26), and UM-UF_CC 19 (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)…”

Section: Mating Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aedes aegypti mating takes place naturally mainly in aerial swarms near the host [ 11 , 12 , 13 ] or between compatible mating pairs in laboratory settings [ 14 , 15 ], when males and females recognize and interact between each other through visual, acoustic and chemical cues [ 12 , 16 , 17 ]. The mating process consists of three phases, from recognition to genital contact (coupling), the “venter-to-venter” genitalia engagement and semen transfer (copulation), and the deposition of the spermatozoa and male secretions in the female sperm reservoirs or spermathecae (insemination) [ 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differentiation of Multiple Fluorescent Powders, Powder Transfer, and Effect on Mating in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Rojas-Araya

Alto

Cummings

et al. 2020

Insects

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Five different fluorescent powders (orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet) were tested on Aedes aegypti adults to evaluate the differentiation of multiple fluorescent powder colors applied externally in the same female mosquito, their effect on coupling time, copulation time, insemination success, mate choice, and the extent of transference of powders between marked and unmarked individuals, either during copulation or same-sex interactions. Marking with multiple powders was evaluated after applying different powders in the same female at different times and combinations. The comparative effect of powders on mating was explored using different cross-combinations of marked/unmarked couples. Transference of powders between marked/unmarked individuals after copulation was checked in mated individuals, and between same-sex interactions by allowing them to interact under crowded and uncrowded conditions. Identification of the colors included in multiple markings in the same individual was possible when exploring almost all combinations (exception: green–yellow). No important effect of powder marking between cross-combinations was found on coupling time (overall 95% CI (Confidence Interval) 37.6–49.6 min), copulation time (overall 95% CI 17–20 s), insemination success, nor their mate choice. Transferred powder after copulation activity, concentrated in genitalia, legs, and the tip of wings, occurred in >80% of females and 100% of males. Powder transference in legs and genitalia, between same-sex individuals, occurred only in males (ranged between 23–35%) under both density conditions. The lack of important effects of these powders on the studied aspects of Ae. aegypti provides information about their usefulness and limitations, which should be recognized for future applications and to avoid bias.

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Sex before or after blood feeding: Mating activities of Aedes aegypti males under conditions of different densities and female blood feeding opportunities

Cited by 9 publications

References 47 publications

Rat volatiles as an attractant source for the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

Rat volatiles as an attractant source for the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

The impact of mating and sugar feeding on blood-feeding physiology and behavior in the arbovirus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti

Differentiation of Multiple Fluorescent Powders, Powder Transfer, and Effect on Mating in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

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