The paradox of plant preference: the malaria vectorsAnopheles gambiaeandAnopheles coluzziiselect suboptimal food sources for their survival and reproduction

Abstract

Anopheles gambiae s.l.mosquitoes, the primary malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa, exhibit selectivity among plant species as potential food sources. However, it remains unclear if their preference aligns with optimal nutrient intake and survival. Following an extensive screening of the effects of 31 plant species onAn. coluzziiin Burkina Faso, we selected three species for their contrasting effects on mosquito survival, namelyIxora coccinea, Caesalpinia pulcherrima and Combretum indicum. We assessed the sugar content of these plants and their impact on mosquito fructose-positivity, survival, and insemination rate, usingAnopheles coluzziiandAnopheles gambiae, and with glucose 5% and water as controls. Plants displayed varying sugar content and differentially affected the survival, sugar intake and insemination rate of mosquitoes. All three plants were more attractive to mosquitoes than controls, withAn. gambiaebeing more responsive thanAn. coluzzii. Notably,C. indicumwas the most attractive but had the lowest sugar content and offered the lowest survival, insemination rate, and fructose positivity. Our findings unveil a performance-preference mismatch inAn. coluzziiandAn. gambiaeregarding plant food sources. Several possible reasons for this negative correlation between performance and preference are discussed.