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Pantoja-Sánchez H, Leavell BC, Rendon B, de-Silva WAPP, Singh R, Zhou J, Menda G, Hoy RR, Miles RN, Sanscrainte ND, Bernal XE. Tiny spies: mosquito antennae are sensitive sensors for eavesdropping on frog calls. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245359. [PMID: 37942703 PMCID: PMC10753488 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Most mosquito and midge species use hearing during acoustic mating behaviors. For frog-biting species, however, hearing plays an important role beyond mating as females rely on anuran calls to obtain blood meals. Despite the extensive work examining hearing in mosquito species that use sound in mating contexts, our understanding of how mosquitoes hear frog calls is limited. Here, we directly investigated the mechanisms underlying detection of frog calls by a mosquito species specialized on eavesdropping on anuran mating signals: Uranotaenia lowii. Behavioral, biomechanical and neurophysiological analyses revealed that the antenna of this frog-biting species can detect frog calls by relying on neural and mechanical responses comparable to those of non-frog-biting species. Our findings show that in Ur. lowii, contrary to most species, males do not use sound for mating, but females use hearing to locate their anuran host. We also show that the response of the antennae of this frog-biting species resembles that of the antenna of species that use hearing for mating. Finally, we discuss our data considering how mosquitoes may have evolved the ability to tap into the communication system of frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian C. Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Bianca Rendon
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 41163, USA
| | | | - Richa Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jian Zhou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Gil Menda
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ronald R. Hoy
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ronald N. Miles
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Neil D. Sanscrainte
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Centre for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Republic of Panamá
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2
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Lahondère C, Vinauger C, Liaw JE, Tobin KKS, Joiner JM, Riffell JA. Effect of Temperature on Mosquito Olfaction. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:356-367. [PMID: 37309024 PMCID: PMC10445414 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes use a wide range of cues to find a host to feed on, eventually leading to the transmission of pathogens. Among them, olfactory cues (e.g., host-emitted odors, including CO2, and skin volatiles) play a central role in mediating host-seeking behaviors. While mosquito olfaction can be impacted by many factors, such as the physiological state of the insect (e.g., age, reproductive state), the impact of environmental temperature on the olfactory system remains unknown. In this study, we quantified the behavioral responses of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, vectors of dengue, yellow fever, and Zika viruses, among other pathogens, to host and plant-related odors under different environmental temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Lahondère
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- The Global Change Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center of Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Clément Vinauger
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- The Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Center of Emerging, Zoonotic and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Jessica E Liaw
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kennedy K S Tobin
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jillian M Joiner
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Riffell
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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3
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Díaz-García L, Latham B, Reid A, Windmill J. Review of the applications of principles of insect hearing to microscale acoustic engineering challenges. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2023; 18:051002. [PMID: 37499689 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aceb29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
When looking for novel, simple, and energy-efficient solutions to engineering problems, nature has proved to be an incredibly valuable source of inspiration. The development of acoustic sensors has been a prolific field for bioinspired solutions. With a diverse array of evolutionary approaches to the problem of hearing at small scales (some widely different to the traditional concept of 'ear'), insects in particular have served as a starting point for several designs. From locusts to moths, through crickets and mosquitoes among many others, the mechanisms found in nature to deal with small-scale acoustic detection and the engineering solutions they have inspired are reviewed. The present article is comprised of three main sections corresponding to the principal problems faced by insects, namely frequency discrimination, which is addressed by tonotopy, whether performed by a specific organ or directly on the tympana; directionality, with solutions including diverse adaptations to tympanal structure; and detection of weak signals, through what is known as active hearing. The three aforementioned problems concern tiny animals as much as human-manufactured microphones and have therefore been widely investigated. Even though bioinspired systems may not always provide perfect performance, they are sure to give us solutions with clever use of resources and minimal post-processing, being serious contenders for the best alternative depending on the requisites of the problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Díaz-García
- Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan Latham
- Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Reid
- Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - James Windmill
- Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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4
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Loh YM, Su MP, Ellis DA, Andrés M. The auditory efferent system in mosquitoes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1123738. [PMID: 36923250 PMCID: PMC10009176 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1123738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Whilst acoustic communication forms an integral component of the mating behavior of many insect species, it is particularly crucial for disease-transmitting mosquitoes; swarming males rely on hearing the faint sounds of flying females for courtship initiation. That males can hear females within the din of a swarm is testament to their fabulous auditory systems. Mosquito hearing is highly frequency-selective, remarkably sensitive and, most strikingly, supported by an elaborate system of auditory efferent neurons that modulate the auditory function - the only documented example amongst insects. Peripheral release of octopamine, serotonin and GABA appears to differentially modulate hearing across major disease-carrying mosquito species, with receptors from other neurotransmitter families also identified in their ears. Because mosquito mating relies on hearing the flight tones of mating partners, the auditory efferent system offers new potential targets for mosquito control. It also represents a unique insect model for studying auditory efferent networks. Here we review current knowledge of the mosquito auditory efferent system, briefly compare it with its counterparts in other species and highlight future research directions to unravel its contribution to mosquito auditory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- YuMin M. Loh
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Matthew P. Su
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - David A. Ellis
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Andrés
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
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5
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Microstructures at the distal tip of ant chemosensory sensilla. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19328. [PMID: 36369461 PMCID: PMC9652420 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21507-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants and other eusocial insects emit and receive chemical signals to communicate important information within the colony. In ants, nestmate recognition, task allocation, and reproductive distribution of labor are largely mediated through the detection of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) that cover the exoskeleton. With their large size and limited volatility, these CHCs are believed to be primarily detected through direct contact with the antennae during behavioral interactions. Here we first use scanning electron microscopy to investigate the unique morphological features of CHC-sensitive basiconic sensilla of two ant species, the black carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus and the Indian jumping ant Harpegnathos saltator. These basiconic sensilla possess an abundance of small pores typical of most insect olfactory sensilla, but also have a large concave depression at the terminal end. Basiconic sensilla are enriched at the distal segments of the antennae in both species, which aligns with their proposed role in contact chemosensation of CHCs. A survey of these sensilla across additional ant species shows varied microstructures at their tips, but each possess surface textures that would also increase sensory surface area. These unique ant chemosensory sensilla represent yet another example of how specialized structures have evolved to serve the functional requirements of eusocial communication.
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Males of Aedes aegypti show different clock gene expression profiles in the presence of conspecific females. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:374. [PMID: 36258200 PMCID: PMC9578191 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05529-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The study of behavioral and physiological traits in mosquitoes has been mainly focused on females since males are not hematophagous and thus do not transfer the parasites that cause diseases in human populations. However, the performance of male mosquitoes is key for the expansion of populations and the perpetuation of mosquito species. Pre-copulatory communication between males and females is the initial and essential step for the success of copulation and studying the male facet of this interaction provides fertile ground for the improvement of vector control strategies. Like in most animals, reproduction, feeding, and oviposition are closely associated with locomotor activity in mosquitoes. Rhythmic cycles of locomotor activity have been previously described in Aedes aegypti, and in females, they are known to be altered by blood-feeding and arbovirus infection. In previous work, we found that males in the presence of females significantly change their locomotor activity profiles, with a shift in the phase of the activity peak. Here, we investigated whether this shift is associated with changes in the expression level of three central circadian clock genes. Methods Real-time PCR reactions were performed for the gene period, cycle, and cryptochrome 2 in samples of heads, antennae, and abdominal tips of solitary males and males in the presence of females. Assays with antennae-ablated males were also performed, asking whether this is an essential organ mediating the communication and the variation in activity profiles. Results The gene period showed a conserved expression pattern in all tissues and conditions, while the other two genes varied according to the male condition. A remarking pattern was observed in cry2, where the difference between the amplitude of expression at the beginning of photophase and the expression peak in the scotophase was greater when males were in the presence of females. Antennae ablation in males did not have a significant effect on the expression profiles, suggesting that female recognition may involve other senses besides hearing and olfaction. Conclusion Our results suggest that the expression of gene cryptochrome 2 varies in association with the interaction between males and females. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05529-8.
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Nakata T, Simões P, Walker SM, Russell IJ, Bomphrey RJ. Auditory sensory range of male mosquitoes for the detection of female flight sound. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220285. [PMID: 36000227 PMCID: PMC9399701 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Male mosquitoes detect and localize conspecific females by their flight-tones using the Johnston's organ (JO), which detects antennal deflections under the influence of local particle motion. Acoustic behaviours of mosquitoes and their JO physiology have been investigated extensively within the frequency domain, yet the auditory sensory range and the behaviour of males at the initiation of phonotactic flights are not well known. In this study, we predict a maximum spatial sensory envelope for flying Culex quinquefasciatus by integrating the physiological tuning response of the male JO with female aeroacoustic signatures derived from numerical simulations. Our sensory envelope predictions were tested with a behavioural assay of free-flying males responding to a female-like artificial pure tone. The minimum detectable particle velocity observed during flight tests was in good agreement with our theoretical prediction formed by the peak JO sensitivity measured in previous studies. The iso-surface describing the minimal detectable particle velocity represents the quantitative auditory sensory range of males and is directional with respect to the female body orientation. Our results illuminate the intricacy of the mating behaviour and point to the importance of observing the body orientation of flying mosquitoes to understand fully the sensory ecology of conspecific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simon M Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
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8
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Insect antennae: Coupling blood pressure with cuticle deformation to control movement. Acta Biomater 2022; 147:102-119. [PMID: 35649508 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.05.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Insect antennae are hollow, blood-filled fibers with complex shape. Muscles in the two basal segments control antennal movement, but the rest (flagellum) is muscle-free. The insect can controllably flex, twist, and maneuver its antennae laterally. To explain this behavior, we performed a comparative study of structural and tensile properties of the antennae of Periplaneta americana (American cockroach), Manduca sexta (Carolina hawkmoth), and Vanessa cardui (painted lady butterfly). These antennae demonstrate a range of distinguishable tensile properties, responding either as brittle or strain-adaptive fibers that stiffen when stretched. Scanning electron microscopy and high-speed imaging of antennal breakup during stretching revealed complex coupling of blood pressure and cuticle deformation in antennae. A generalized Lamé theory of solid mechanics was developed to include the force-driven deformation of blood-filled antennal tubes. We validated the theory against experiments with artificial antennae with no adjustable parameters. Blood pressure increased when the insect inflated its antennae or decreased below ambient pressure when an external tensile load was applied to the antenna. The pressure-cuticle coupling can be controlled through changes of the blood volume in the antennal lumen. In insects that do not fill the antennal lumen with blood, this blood pressure control is lacking, and the antennae react only by muscular activation. We suggest that the principles we have discovered for insect antennae apply to other appendages that share a leg-derived ancestry. Our work offers promising new applications for multifunctional fiber-based microfluidics that could transport fluids and be manipulated by the same fluid on demand. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Insect antennae are blood-filled, segmented fibers with muscles in the two basal segments. The long terminal segment is muscle-free but can be flexed. To explain this behavior, we examined structure-function relationships of antennae of cockroaches, hawkmoths, and butterflies. Hawkmoth antennae behaved as brittle fibers, but butterfly and cockroach antennae showed strain-adaptive behavior like fibers that stiffen when stretched. Videomicroscopy of antennal breakup during stretching revealed complex coupling of blood pressure and cuticle deformation. Our solid mechanics model explains this behavior. Because antennae are leg-derived appendages, we suggest that the principles we found apply to other appendages of leg-derived ancestry. Our work offers new applications for multifunctional fiber-based microfluidics that could transport fluids and be manipulated by the fluid on demand.
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9
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Ziemer T, Wetjen F, Herbst A. The Antenna Base Plays a Crucial Role in Mosquito Courtship Behavior. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.803611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are vectors of pathogens that cause diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika. For mosquito control it is crucial to understand their hearing system, as mosquitoes’ courting behavior is mostly auditory. Many nonlinear characteristics of the mosquito hearing organ have been observed through behavioral studies and neural measurements. These enable mosquitoes to detect and synchronize to other mosquitoes. Many hypotheses concerning the role of the flagellum and the fibrillae of the antenna in mosquito hearing have been made, and neural processes have been considered as the origin of the nonlinearities. In this study we introduce a geometric model based on the morphology of the mosquito antenna base. The model produces many of the observed nonlinear characteristics, providing evidence that the base of the antenna plays a crucial role in mosquito hearing. Even without neural processing, the antenna response to sound produces behaviorally relevant cues that can inform about the presence, location, and sex of other mosquitoes.
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10
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Feugère L, Roux O, Gibson G. Behavioural analysis of swarming mosquitoes reveals higher hearing sensitivity than previously measured with electrophysiology methods. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274290. [PMID: 35132997 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Mosquitoes of many species mate in station-keeping swarms. Mating chases ensue as soon as a male detects the flight tones of a female with his auditory organs. Previous studies of hearing thresholds have mainly used electrophysiological methods that prevent the mosquito from flying naturally. The main aim of this study was to quantify behaviourally the sound-level threshold at which males can hear females. Free-flying male Anopheles coluzzii were released in a large arena (∼2 m high x 2 m x 1 m) with a conspicuous object on the ground that stimulates swarming behaviour. Males were exposed to a range of natural and synthetic played-back sounds of female flight. We monitored the responses of males and their distance to the speaker by recording changes in their wingbeat frequency and angular speed. We show that the mean male behavioural threshold of particle-velocity hearing lies between 13-20 dB SVL (95%-CI). A conservative estimate of 20 dB SVL (i.e.,<0.5 µm/s particle velocity) is already 12 to 26 dB lower than most of the published electrophysiological measurements from the Johnston's organ. In addition, we suggest that 1) the first harmonic of female flight-sound is sufficient for males to detect her presence, 2) males respond with a greater amplitude to single-female sounds than to the sound of a group of females and 3) the response of males to the playback of the flight sound of a live female is the same as that of a recorded sound of constant frequency and amplitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Feugère
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Olivier Roux
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), 01 BP 545 Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso
| | - Gabriella Gibson
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
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Croce AC, Scolari F. The Bright Side of the Tiger: Autofluorescence Patterns in Aedes albopictus (Diptera, Culicidae) Male and Female Mosquitoes. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27030713. [PMID: 35163978 PMCID: PMC8839535 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Light-based events in insects deserve increasing attention for various reasons. Besides their roles in inter- and intra-specific visual communication, with biological, ecological and taxonomical implications, optical properties are also promising tools for the monitoring of insect pests and disease vectors. Among these is the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, a global arbovirus vector. Here we have focused on the autofluorescence characterization of Ae. albopictus adults using a combined imaging and spectrofluorometric approach. Imaging has evidenced that autofluorescence rises from specific body compartments, such as the head appendages, and the abdominal and leg scales. Spectrofluorometry has demonstrated that emission consists of a main band in the 410–600 nm region. The changes in the maximum peak position, between 430 nm and 500 nm, and in the spectral width, dependent on the target structure, indicate the presence, at variable degrees, of different fluorophores, likely resilin, chitin and melanins. The aim of this work has been to provide initial evidence on the so far largely unexplored autofluorescence of Ae. albopictus, to furnish new perspectives for the set-up of species- and sex-specific investigation of biological functions as well as of strategies for in-flight direct detection and surveillance of mosquito vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C. Croce
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology & Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, I-27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.C.C.); (F.S.); Tel.: +39-0382-986428 (A.C.C.); +39-0382-986421 (F.S.)
| | - Francesca Scolari
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology & Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, I-27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.C.C.); (F.S.); Tel.: +39-0382-986428 (A.C.C.); +39-0382-986421 (F.S.)
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Somers J, Georgiades M, Su MP, Bagi J, Andrés M, Alampounti A, Mills G, Ntabaliba W, Moore SJ, Spaccapelo R, Albert JT. Hitting the right note at the right time: Circadian control of audibility in Anopheles mosquito mating swarms is mediated by flight tones. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl4844. [PMID: 35020428 PMCID: PMC8754303 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl4844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Mating swarms of malaria mosquitoes form every day at sunset throughout the tropical world. They typically last less than 30 minutes. Activity must thus be highly synchronized between the sexes. Moreover, males must identify the few sporadically entering females by detecting the females’ faint flight tones. We show that the Anopheles circadian clock not only ensures a tight synchrony of male and female activity but also helps sharpen the males’ acoustic detection system: By raising their flight tones to 1.5 times the female flight tone, males enhance the audibility of females, specifically at swarm time. Previously reported “harmonic convergence” events are only a random by-product of the mosquitoes’ flight tone variance and not a signature of acoustic interaction between males and females. The flight tones of individual mosquitoes occupy narrow, partly non-overlapping frequency ranges, suggesting that the audibility of individual females varies across males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Somers
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Marcos Georgiades
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Matthew P. Su
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Division of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Judit Bagi
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Marta Andrés
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Alexandros Alampounti
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gordon Mills
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
| | - Watson Ntabaliba
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Sarah J. Moore
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
- Epidemiology and Public Health Department, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, Basel 4051, Switzerland
| | - Roberta Spaccapelo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Centro Universitario di Ricerca sulla Genomica Funzionale (C.U.R.Ge.F), University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie (CIB) Trieste, Italy
| | - Joerg T. Albert
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Corresponding author.
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13
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Specialized morphology and material properties make a honey bee tongue both extendible and structurally stable. Acta Biomater 2021; 136:412-419. [PMID: 34592444 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The honey bee, Apis mellifera ligustica, uses the specialized tongue structured by ∼120 segmental units, coated by bushy hairs, to dip varying concentration nectar flexibly at small scales. While dipping, the segmental units elongate by 20%, coordinated with rhythmical erection of hairs, the pattern of which is demonstrated to be capable of both increasing nectar intake rate and saving energy. The compliance in the segmental units allows extension of the tongue, which however, challenges the structural stability while traveling through the viscous fluid. In this combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we apply scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), micro-computed tomography scanning (micro-CT), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and mechanical models to reveal the structural and material specializations in a bee tongue for meeting the functionally contradictive demands. We find that each segmental unit is a complex structure, which is composed of an intersegmental membrane (ISM) and a ring-like hair base (RHB), with spatially distributed discrete changes in material properties. The combination of these two components makes the tongue multifunctional, in which the ISMs characterized by resilin-rich material make the segmental units compliant, while the RHBs with rigid sclerotized material provide stable supporting for hairs. Our study may enlighten deployable mechanisms with correlative functional components, especially the microscopic mechanisms applied in viscous fluid tranport. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The honey bee tongue is a versatile tool that extends to probe into varying-shaped corollas, retracting with 3,000 glossal hairs staying erected to load nectar. The combined requirement of both deformability and structural stability imposes opposing demands on structural stiffness. Here we show that glossal hairs are supported by rigid continuum ring-like hair bases, embedded in the elastic resilient intersegmental membrane, making the whole tongue both flexible and rigid at the same time. Our findings extend our understanding of relationship between morphology, material composition and biomechanics of dynamic biological surfaces, which may inspire design paradigms of multifunctional deployable mechanisms coordinating deformability and structural stability.
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14
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Tuned vibration modes in a miniature hearing organ: Insights from the bushcricket. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105234118. [PMID: 34551976 PMCID: PMC8488673 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105234118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Most hearing organs contain an array of sensory cells that act as miniature microphones, each tuned to its own frequency like piano strings. Acoustically communicating insects like bushcrickets have evolved miniscule hearing organs, typically smaller than 1 mm, in their forelegs. It is still unknown how the sensory structures inside the leg vibrate in response to sound. Using advanced imaging techniques, we meticulously mapped the nanovibrations in the bushcricket ear. We discovered a complex motion pattern in which structures separated by only 1/50 mm showed systematic tuning differences. Despite the insect ear’s tiny dimensions, its mode of operation strikingly resembled that of vertebrate ears. Apparently, evolution has provided similar solutions to the spectral processing of sounds. Bushcrickets (katydids) rely on only 20 to 120 sensory units located in their forelegs to sense sound. Situated in tiny hearing organs less than 1 mm long (40× shorter than the human cochlea), they cover a wide frequency range from 1 kHz up to ultrasounds, in tonotopic order. The underlying mechanisms of this miniaturized frequency-place map are unknown. Sensory dendrites in the hearing organ (crista acustica [CA]) are hypothesized to stretch, thereby driving mechanostransduction and frequency tuning. However, this has not been experimentally confirmed. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT) vibrometry, we measured the relative motion of structures within and adjacent to the CA of the bushcricket Mecopoda elongata. We found different modes of nanovibration in the CA that have not been previously described. The two tympana and the adjacent septum of the foreleg that enclose the CA were recorded simultaneously, revealing an antiphasic lever motion strikingly reminiscent of vertebrate middle ears. Over the entire length of the CA, we were able to separate and compare vibrations of the top (cap cells) and base (dorsal wall) of the sensory tissue. The tuning of these two structures, only 15 to 60 μm (micrometer) apart, differed systematically in sharpness and best frequency, revealing a tuned periodic deformation of the CA. The relative motion of the two structures, a potential drive of transduction, demonstrated sharper tuning than either of them. The micromechanical complexity indicates that the bushcricket ear invokes multiple degrees of freedom to achieve frequency separation with a limited number of sensory cells.
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15
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Lapshin DN, Vorontsov DD. Frequency tuning of swarming male mosquitoes (Aedes communis, Culicidae) and its neural mechanisms. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 132:104233. [PMID: 33831433 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The primary function of hearing in mosquitoes is believed to be intraspecific communication. This view dictated the principle of many behavioral studies, namely, the attraction of male mosquitoes to the sounds that mimicked a female tone. However, after the avoidance response to certain frequencies of sound was demonstrated, it became clear that attraction tests cannot fully account for all the capabilities of the mosquito auditory system. In addition, the tuning curves obtained by electrophysiological measurements differ from the behavioral ones. We designed a simple but robust field test based on responses of swarming mosquitoes to sound stimulation, but not limited to the attraction response. Here we report the auditory thresholds over a wide range of sound frequencies measured in the field from swarms of Aedes communis mosquitoes. In parallel, the auditory sensitivity of male mosquitoes taken from the same swarms was measured electrophysiologically. Surprisingly, we found high acoustic sensitivity; 26 dBSPL on average, in the frequency range 180-220 Hz (ambient temperature 12 °C). In addition, responses were found in the high-frequency range, 500-700 Hz (the so-called 'mirror channel'). Two types of auditory units were recorded: more sensitive broadband neurons and less sensitive units with distinct narrow (quality factor Q6 = 7.4) frequency tunings in the range 180-350 Hz. We propose that the former provides the detection of signal while the latter are used for frequency identification in order to make a behavioral choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry N Lapshin
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kharkevich Institute), Bolshoy Karetny per. 19, Moscow 127994, Russia.
| | - Dmitry D Vorontsov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova 26, Moscow 119334, Russia.
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16
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Andrés M, Su MP, Albert J, Cator LJ. Buzzkill: targeting the mosquito auditory system. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 40:11-17. [PMID: 32505906 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sound plays an important role in mosquito sensory ecology. Acoustic perception and acoustically driven behaviours therefore represent potentially effective control targets. Previous scientific efforts around acoustic-based control and surveillance have not been systematic and ambiguity around the exact role of acoustic communication in conspecific interactions remains. Here, we briefly review recent advances in mosquito auditory physiology and behavioural ecology as well as ongoing activities to incorporate sound into control and surveillance tools. We highlight areas where increased collaboration between physiologists, molecular biologists, behavioural ecologists and control experts is needed to capitalize on this progress and realize the potential of sound-based technologies and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Andrés
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom; The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew P Su
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom; Division of Biological Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Joerg Albert
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom; The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, United Kingdom.
| | - Lauren J Cator
- Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and Environment, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, SL5 7PY, United Kingdom.
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17
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Römer H. Directional hearing in insects: biophysical, physiological and ecological challenges. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/14/jeb203224. [PMID: 32737067 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.203224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Sound localisation is a fundamental attribute of the way that animals perceive their external world. It enables them to locate mates or prey, determine the direction from which a predator is approaching and initiate adaptive behaviours. Evidence from different biological disciplines that has accumulated over the last two decades indicates how small insects with body sizes much smaller than the wavelength of the sound of interest achieve a localisation performance that is similar to that of mammals. This Review starts by describing the distinction between tympanal ears (as in grasshoppers, crickets, cicadas, moths or mantids) and flagellar ears (specifically antennae in mosquitoes and fruit flies). The challenges faced by insects when receiving directional cues differ depending on whether they have tympanal or flagellar years, because the latter respond to the particle velocity component (a vector quantity) of the sound field, whereas the former respond to the pressure component (a scalar quantity). Insects have evolved sophisticated biophysical solutions to meet these challenges, which provide binaural cues for directional hearing. The physiological challenge is to reliably encode these cues in the neuronal activity of the afferent auditory system, a non-trivial problem in particular for those insect systems composed of only few nerve cells which exhibit a considerable amount of intrinsic and extrinsic response variability. To provide an integrative view of directional hearing, I complement the description of these biophysical and physiological solutions by presenting findings on localisation in real-world situations, including evidence for localisation in the vertical plane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiner Römer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
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18
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Saltin BD, Matsumura Y, Reid A, Windmill JF, Gorb SN, Jackson JC. Material stiffness variation in mosquito antennae. J R Soc Interface 2020; 16:20190049. [PMID: 31088259 PMCID: PMC6544878 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2019.0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The antennae of mosquitoes are model systems for acoustic sensation, in that they obey general principles for sound detection, using both active feedback mechanisms and passive structural adaptations. However, the biomechanical aspect of the antennal structure is much less understood than the mechano-electrical transduction. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy, we measured the fluorescent properties of the antennae of two species of mosquito—Toxorhynchites brevipalpis and Anopheles arabiensis—and, noting that fluorescence is correlated with material stiffness, we found that the structure of the antenna is not a simple beam of homogeneous material, but is in fact a rather more complex structure with spatially distributed discrete changes in material properties. These present as bands or rings of different material in each subunit of the antenna, which repeat along its length. While these structures may simply be required for structural robustness of the antennae, we found that in FEM simulation, these banded structures can strongly affect the resonant frequencies of cantilever-beam systems, and therefore taken together our results suggest that modulating the material properties along the length of the antenna could constitute an additional mechanism for resonant tuning in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- B D Saltin
- 1 Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde , 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW , UK
| | - Y Matsumura
- 2 Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute of the University of Kiel , Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel , Germany
| | - A Reid
- 1 Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde , 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW , UK
| | - J F Windmill
- 1 Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde , 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW , UK
| | - S N Gorb
- 2 Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute of the University of Kiel , Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel , Germany
| | - J C Jackson
- 1 Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde , 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW , UK
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Nakata T, Phillips N, Simões P, Russell IJ, Cheney JA, Walker SM, Bomphrey RJ. Aerodynamic imaging by mosquitoes inspires a surface detector for autonomous flying vehicles. Science 2020; 368:634-637. [PMID: 32381721 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaz9634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Some flying animals use active sensing to perceive and avoid obstacles. Nocturnal mosquitoes exhibit a behavioral response to divert away from surfaces when vision is unavailable, indicating a short-range, mechanosensory collision-avoidance mechanism. We suggest that this behavior is mediated by perceiving modulations of their self-induced airflow patterns as they enter a ground or wall effect. We used computational fluid dynamics simulations of low-altitude and near-wall flights based on in vivo high-speed kinematic measurements to quantify changes in the self-generated pressure and velocity cues at the sensitive mechanosensory antennae. We validated the principle that encoding aerodynamic information can enable collision avoidance by developing a quadcopter with a sensory system inspired by the mosquito. Such low-power sensing systems have major potential for future use in safer rotorcraft control systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiyuki Nakata
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
- Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
| | - Nathan Phillips
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Patrício Simões
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Jorn A Cheney
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Simon M Walker
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Richard J Bomphrey
- Structure and Motion Laboratory, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
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20
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Rohde BB, Staunton KM, Zeak NC, Beebe N, Snoad N, Bondarenco A, Liddington C, Anderson JA, Xiang W, Mankin RW, Ritchie SA. Waterproof, low-cost, long-battery-life sound trap for surveillance of male Aedes aegypti for rear-and-release mosquito control programmes. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:417. [PMID: 31488182 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3647-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sterile male rear-and-release programmes are of growing interest for controlling Aedes aegypti, including use an "incompatible insect technique" (IIT) to suppress transmission of dengue, Zika, and other viruses. Under IIT, males infected with Wolbachia are released into the suppression area to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility in uninfected populations. These and similar mosquito-release programmes require cost-effective field surveys of both sexes to optimize the locations, timing, and quantity of releases. Unfortunately, traps that sample male Ae. aegypti effectively are expensive and usually require mains power. Recently, an electronic lure was developed that attracts males using a 484 Hz sinusoidal tone mimicking the female wingbeat frequencies, broadcast in a 120 s on/off cycle. When deployed in commercially available gravid Aedes traps (GATs), the new combination, sound-GAT (SGAT), captures both males and females effectively. Given its success, there is interest in optimizing SGAT to reduce cost and power usage while maximizing catch rates. METHODS Options considered in this study included use of a smaller, lower-power microcontroller (Tiny) with either the original or a lower-cost speaker (lcS). A 30 s on/off cycle was tested in addition to the original 120 s cycle to minimize the potential that the longer cycle induced habituation. The original SGAT was compared against other traps incorporating the Tiny-based lures for mosquito capture in a large semi-field cage. The catch rates in waterproofed versions of this trap were then compared with catch rates in standard [BG-Sentinel 2 (BGS 2); Biogents AG, Regensburg, Germany] traps during an IIT field study in the Innisfail region of Queensland, Australia in 2017. RESULTS The system with a low-power microcontroller and low-cost speaker playing a 30 s tone (Tiny-lcS-30s) caught the highest proportion of males. The mean proportions of males caught in a semi-field cage were not significantly different among the original design and the four low-power, low-cost versions of the SGAT. During the IIT field study, the waterproofed version of the highest-rated, Tiny-lcS-30s SGAT captured male Ae. aegypti at similar rates as co-located BGS-2 traps. CONCLUSIONS Power- and cost-optimized, waterproofed versions of male Ae. aegypti acoustic lures in GATs are now available for field use in areas with sterile male mosquito rear-and-release programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barukh B Rohde
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. .,College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia. .,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
| | - Kyran M Staunton
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Nicholas C Zeak
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Nigel Beebe
- Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Nigel Snoad
- Verily Life Sciences, 259 East Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | | | | | | | - Wei Xiang
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, 4878, Australia
| | - Richard W Mankin
- Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Scott A Ritchie
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.,Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
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21
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Pantoja-Sánchez H, Gomez S, Velez V, Avila FW, Alfonso-Parra C. Precopulatory acoustic interactions of the New World malaria vector Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:386. [PMID: 31370863 PMCID: PMC6676525 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3648-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anopheles albimanus is a malaria vector in Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean. Although a public health threat, An. albimanus precopulatory mating behaviors are unknown. Acoustics play important roles in mosquito communication, where flight tones allow males to detect and attract potential mates. The importance of sound in precopulatory interactions has been demonstrated in Toxorhynchites brevipalpis, Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles gambiae; convergence in a shared harmonic of the wing beat frequency (WBF) during courtship is thought to increase the chance of copulation. To our knowledge, An. albimanus precopulatory acoustic behaviors have not been described to date. Here, we characterized An. albimanus (i) male and female flight tones; (ii) male–female precopulatory acoustic interactions under tethered and free flight conditions; and (iii) male-male acoustic interactions during free flight. Results We found significant increases in the WBFs of both sexes in free flight compared to when tethered. We observed harmonic convergence between 79% of tethered couples. In free flight, we identified a female-specific behavior that predicts mate rejection during male mating attempts: females increase their WBFs significantly faster during mate rejection compared to a successful copulation. This behavior consistently occurred during mate rejection regardless of prior mating attempts (from the same or differing male). During group flight, males of An. albimanus displayed two distinct flying behaviors: random flight and a swarm-like, patterned flight, each associated with distinct acoustic characteristics. In the transition from random to patterned flight, males converged their WBFs and significantly decreased flight area, male-male proximity and the periodicity of their trajectories. Conclusions We show that tethering of An. albimanus results in major acoustic differences compared to free flight. We identify a female-specific behavior that predicts mate rejection during male mating attempts in this species and show that male groups in free flight display distinct flying patterns with unique audio and visual characteristics. This study shows that An. albimanus display acoustic features identified in other mosquito species, further suggesting that acoustic interactions provide worthwhile targets for mosquito intervention strategies. Our results provide compelling evidence for swarming in this species and suggests that acoustic signaling is important for this behavior. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-019-3648-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.,Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia
| | - Sebastián Gomez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Electrónica, SISTEMIC, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.,Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, 055450, Colombia
| | - Viviana Velez
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, 055450, Colombia. .,Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, 050010, Colombia.
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22
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Menda G, Nitzany EI, Shamble PS, Wells A, Harrington LC, Miles RN, Hoy RR. The Long and Short of Hearing in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. Curr Biol 2019; 29:709-714.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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23
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Lapshin DN, Vorontsov DD. Directional and frequency characteristics of auditory neurons in Culex male mosquitoes. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.208785. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.208785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The paired auditory organ of mosquito, the Johnston's organ (JO), being the receiver of particle velocity component of sound, is directional by its structure. However, to date almost no physiological measurements of its directionality was done. In addition, the recent finding on the grouping of the JO auditory neurons into the antiphase pairs demanded confirmation by different methods. Using the vector superposition of the signals produced by two orthogonally oriented speakers, we measured the directional characteristics of individual units as well as their relations in physiologically distinguishable groups – pairs or triplets. The feedback stimulation method allowed to discriminate responses of the two simultaneously recorded units, and to show that they indeed responded in antiphase. Units of different frequency tuning as well as high-sensitive units (thresholds of 27 dB SPVL and below) were found in every angular sector of the JO, providing the mosquito with the ability to produce complex auditory behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry N. Lapshin
- Institute for Information Transmission Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kharkevich Institute) Bolshoy Karetny per. 19, Moscow, 127994, Russia
| | - Dmitry D. Vorontsov
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology Russian Academy of Sciences Vavilova 26, Moscow, 119334, Russia
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24
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Sant HH, Sane SP. The mechanosensory-motor apparatus of antennae in the Oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii, Lepidoptera). J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:2215-2230. [PMID: 29907958 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Insect antennae are sensory organs of great importance because they can sense diverse environmental stimuli. In addition to serving as primary olfactory organs of insects, antennae also sense a wide variety of mechanosensory stimuli, ranging from low-frequency airflow or gravity cues to high-frequency antennal vibrations due to sound, flight or touch. The basal segments of the antennae house multiple types of mechanosensory structures that prominently include the sensory hair plates, or Böhm's bristles, which measure the gross extent of antennal movement, and a ring of highly sensitive scolopidial neurons, collectively called the Johnston's organs, which record subtle flagellar vibrations. To fulfill their multifunctional mechanosensory role, the antennae of insects must actively move thereby enhancing their ability to sense various cues in the surrounding environment. This tight coupling between antennal mechanosensory function and antennal movements means that the underlying mechanosensory-motor apparatus constitutes a highly tuned feedback-controlled system. Our study aims to explore how the sensory and motor components of this system are configured to enable such functional versatility. We describe antennal mechanosensory neurons, their central projections in the brain relative to antennal motor neurons and the internal morphology of various antennal muscles that actuate the basal segments of the antenna. We studied these in the Oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii) using a combination of techniques such as neural dye fills, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray tomography. Our study thus provides a detailed anatomical picture of the antennal mechanosensory-motor apparatus, which in turn provides key insights into its multifunctional role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshada H Sant
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Sanjay P Sane
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India
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25
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Johnson BJ, Rohde BB, Zeak N, Staunton KM, Prachar T, Ritchie SA. A low-cost, battery-powered acoustic trap for surveilling male Aedes aegypti during rear-and-release operations. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201709. [PMID: 30071091 PMCID: PMC6072092 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a primary vector of several serious arboviruses throughout the world and is therefore of great concern to many public health organizations. With vector control methodology pivoting towards rearing and releasing large numbers of genetically modified, sterilized, or Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes to control vector populations, economical surveillance methods for release tracking becomes increasingly necessary. Previous work has identified that male Ae. aegypti are attracted to female wingbeat frequencies and can be captured through artificial playback of these frequencies, but the tested systems are cost-prohibitive for wide-scale monitoring. Thus, we have developed a simple, low-cost, battery-powered, microcontroller-based sound lure which mimics the wingbeat frequency of female Ae. aegypti, thereby attracting males. We then tested the efficacy of this lure in combination with a passive (non-powered) gravid Aedes trap (GAT) against the current gold-standard, the Biogents Sentinel (BGS) trap, which requires main power (household power) and costs several times what the GAT does. Capture rates of male Ae. aegypti in sound-baited GATs (Sound-GATs) in these field tests were comparable to that of the BGS with no inhibitory effects of sound playback on female capture. We conclude that the Sound-GAT is an effective replacement of the costly BGS for surveillance of male Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, particularly in the developing countries where funding is limited, and has the potential to be adapted to target males of other medically important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J. Johnson
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Barukh B. Rohde
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Nicholas Zeak
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kyran M. Staunton
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tim Prachar
- Verily Life Sciences, South San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Scott A. Ritchie
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
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26
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Scherberich J, Hummel J, Schöneich S, Nowotny M. Functional basis of the sexual dimorphism in the auditory fovea of the duetting bushcricket Ancylecha fenestrata. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1426. [PMID: 29046376 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
From mammals to insects, acoustic communication is in many species crucial for successful reproduction. In the duetting bushcricket Ancylecha fenestrata, the mutual acoustic communication between males and females is asymmetrical. We investigated how those signalling disparities are reflected by sexual dimorphism of their ears. Both sexes have tympanic ears in their forelegs, but male ears possess a significantly longer crista acustica containing 35% more scolopidia. With more sensory cells to cover a similar hearing range, the male hearing organ shows a significantly expanded auditory fovea that is tuned to the dominant frequency of the female reply to facilitate phonotactic mate finding. This sex-specific auditory fovea is demonstrated in the mechanical and neuronal responses along the tonotopically organized crista acustica by laservibrometric and electrophysiological frequency mapping, respectively. Morphometric analysis of the crista acustica revealed an interrupted gradient in organ height solely within this auditory fovea region, whereas all other anatomical parameters decrease continuously from proximal to distal. Combining behavioural, anatomical, biomechanical and neurophysiological information, we demonstrate evidence of a pronounced auditory fovea as a sex-specific adaptation of an insect hearing organ for intraspecific acoustic communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Scherberich
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jennifer Hummel
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Stefan Schöneich
- Institute for Biology, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manuela Nowotny
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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27
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Seale M, Cummins C, Viola IM, Mastropaolo E, Nakayama N. Design principles of hair-like structures as biological machines. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:20180206. [PMID: 29848593 PMCID: PMC6000178 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair-like structures are prevalent throughout biology and frequently act to sense or alter interactions with an organism's environment. The overall shape of a hair is simple: a long, filamentous object that protrudes from the surface of an organism. This basic design, however, can confer a wide range of functions, owing largely to the flexibility and large surface area that it usually possesses. From this simple structural basis, small changes in geometry, such as diameter, curvature and inter-hair spacing, can have considerable effects on mechanical properties, allowing functions such as mechanosensing, attachment, movement and protection. Here, we explore how passive features of hair-like structures, both individually and within arrays, enable diverse functions across biology. Understanding the relationships between form and function can provide biologists with an appreciation for the constraints and possibilities on hair-like structures. Additionally, such structures have already been used in biomimetic engineering with applications in sensing, water capture and adhesion. By examining hairs as a functional mechanical unit, geometry and arrangement can be rationally designed to generate new engineering devices and ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Seale
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- SynthSys Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cathal Cummins
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- SynthSys Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- School of Engineering, Institute for Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ignazio Maria Viola
- School of Engineering, Institute for Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Enrico Mastropaolo
- School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Naomi Nakayama
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- SynthSys Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Araripe LO, Bezerra JRA, Rivas GBDS, Bruno RV. Locomotor activity in males of Aedes aegypti can shift in response to females' presence. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:254. [PMID: 29669591 PMCID: PMC5907381 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2635-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of physiological and behavioral traits of mosquito vectors has been of growing relevance for the proposition of alternative methods for controlling vector-borne diseases. Despite this, most studies focus on the female's traits, including the behavior of host seeking, the physiology of disease transmission and the site-choice for oviposition. However, understanding the factors that lead to males' reproductive success is of utmost importance, since it can help building new strategies for constraining population growth. Male behavior towards mating varies widely among species and the communication between males and females is the first aspect securing a successful encounter. Here we used an automated monitoring system to study the profile of locomotor activity of Aedes aegypti males in response to female's presence in an adapted confinement tube. We propose a new method to quantify male response to the presence of females, which can be potentially tested as an indicator of the success of one male in recognizing a female for mating. RESULTS Locomotor activity varies in daily cycles regulated by an endogenous clock and synchronized by external factors, such as light and temperature. Our results show the previously described startle response to light, which is displayed as a steep morning activity peak immediately when lights are on. Activity drops during the day and begins to rise again right before evening, happening about 1.5 h earlier in males than in females. Most interestingly, males' activity shows a double peak, and the second peak is very subtle when males are alone and relatively more pronounced when females are present in the confinement tubes. The switch in the peak of activity, measured by the herein suggested Peak Matching Index (PMI), was significantly different between males with and without females. CONCLUSIONS The adapted monitoring system used here allowed us to quantify the response of individual males to nearby females in terms of the extent of the activity peak displacement. In this direction, we created the peak matching index (PMI), a new parameter that we anticipate could be interpreted as the inclination of males to respond to females' presence, and further tested as an indicator of the potential for finding females for mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Ordunha Araripe
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Gustavo Bueno da Silva Rivas
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, FL USA
| | - Rafaela Vieira Bruno
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular/CNPq, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Simões PMV, Ingham R, Gibson G, Russell IJ. Masking of an auditory behaviour reveals how male mosquitoes use distortion to detect females. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2017.1862. [PMID: 29367389 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mating behaviour of many mosquito species is mediated essentially by sound: males follow and mate with a female mid-flight by detecting and tracking the whine of her flight-tones. The stereotypical rapid frequency modulation (RFM) male behaviour, initiated in response to the detection of the female's flight-tones, has provided a means of investigating these auditory mechanisms while males are free-flying. Mosquitoes hear with their antennae, which vibrate to near-field acoustic excitation. The antennae generate nonlinear vibrations (distortion products, DPs) at frequencies that are equal to the difference between the two simultaneously presented tones, e.g. the male and female flight-tones, which are detected by mechanoreceptors in the auditory Johnston's organ (JO) at the base of the antenna. Recent studies indicated the male mosquito's JO is tuned not to the female flight-tone, but to the frequency difference between the male and female flight-tones. To test the hypothesis that mosquitoes detect this frequency difference, Culex quinquefasciatus males were presented simultaneously with a female flight-tone and a masking tone, which should suppress the male's RFM response to sound. The free-flight behavioural and in vivo electrophysiological experiments revealed that acoustic masking suppresses the RFM response to the female's flight-tones by attenuating the DPs generated in the nonlinear vibration of the antennae. These findings provide direct evidence in support of the hypothesis that male mosquitoes detect females when both are in flight through difference tones generated in the vibrations of their antennae owing to the interaction between their own flight-tones and those of a female.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M V Simões
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - R Ingham
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - G Gibson
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - I J Russell
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
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Albert JT, Kozlov AS. Comparative Aspects of Hearing in Vertebrates and Insects with Antennal Ears. Curr Biol 2017; 26:R1050-R1061. [PMID: 27780047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of hearing in terrestrial animals has resulted in remarkable adaptations enabling exquisitely sensitive sound detection by the ear and sophisticated sound analysis by the brain. In this review, we examine several such characteristics, using examples from insects and vertebrates. We focus on two strong and interdependent forces that have been shaping the auditory systems across taxa: the physical environment of auditory transducers on the small, subcellular scale, and the sensory-ecological environment within which hearing happens, on a larger, evolutionary scale. We briefly discuss acoustical feature selectivity and invariance in the central auditory system, highlighting a major difference between insects and vertebrates as well as a major similarity. Through such comparisons within a sensory ecological framework, we aim to emphasize general principles underlying acute sensitivity to airborne sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joerg T Albert
- UCL Ear Institute, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8EE, UK.
| | - Andrei S Kozlov
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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31
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Abstract
The ultimate aim of flow sensing is to represent the perturbations of the medium perfectly. Hundreds of millions of years of evolution resulted in hair-based flow sensors in terrestrial arthropods that stand out among the most sensitive biological sensors known, even better than photoreceptors which can detect a single photon (10-18-10-19 J) of visible light. These tiny sensory hairs can move with a velocity close to that of the surrounding air at frequencies near their mechanical resonance, despite the low viscosity and low density of air. No man-made technology to date demonstrates comparable efficiency. Here we show that nanodimensional spider silk captures fluctuating airflow with maximum physical efficiency (Vsilk/Vair ∼ 1) from 1 Hz to 50 kHz, providing an effective means for miniaturized flow sensing. Our mathematical model shows excellent agreement with experimental results for silk with various diameters: 500 nm, 1.6 µm, and 3 µm. When a fiber is sufficiently thin, it can move with the medium flow perfectly due to the domination of forces applied to it by the medium over those associated with its mechanical properties. These results suggest that the aerodynamic property of silk can provide an airborne acoustic signal to a spider directly, in addition to the well-known substrate-borne information. By modifying a spider silk to be conductive and transducing its motion using electromagnetic induction, we demonstrate a miniature, directional, broadband, passive, low-cost approach to detect airflow with full fidelity over a frequency bandwidth that easily spans the full range of human hearing, as well as that of many other mammals.
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32
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Villarreal SM, Winokur O, Harrington L. The Impact of Temperature and Body Size on Fundamental Flight Tone Variation in the Mosquito Vector Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): Implications for Acoustic Lures. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:1116-1121. [PMID: 28402550 PMCID: PMC5850351 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjx079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti (L.) males use female flight tone as a means of mate localization. By playing the sound of a flying female, males can be attracted to a trap to monitor mosquito populations and the progress of transgenic male releases. However, the female flight tone used to attract males needs to be optimized to maximize trap effectiveness. The fundamental frequency of female flight tone could be influenced by both body size and ambient temperature. However, no analysis yet has considered both the effect of body size and temperature on female flight tone of Ae. aegypti. Here, we present results for both these factors by recording the sounds of free-flying and tethered females across multiple temperature environments and with females reared for small, medium, and large body sizes. We demonstrate that female fundamental frequency is highly dependent on the environmental temperature, increasing ∼8-13 Hz with each °C gain. Body size and whether a female was tethered or free-flying did not impact the relationship between frequency and temperature, although further analysis is warranted. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between flight tone and temperature, and will inform the design of male mosquito traps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M. Villarreal
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (; ; )
- Current Address: Biology Department, Grinnell College, Noyce Science Center, Grinnell, IA 50112
| | - Olivia Winokur
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (; ; )
- Current Address: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, UC Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616
| | - Laura Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (; ; )
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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33
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Clarke D, Morley E, Robert D. The bee, the flower, and the electric field: electric ecology and aerial electroreception. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017. [PMID: 28647753 PMCID: PMC5599473 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1176-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bees and flowering plants have a long-standing and remarkable co-evolutionary history. Flowers and bees evolved traits that enable pollination, a process that is as important to plants as it is for pollinating insects. From the sensory ecological viewpoint, bee–flower interactions rely on senses such as vision, olfaction, humidity sensing, and touch. Recently, another sensory modality has been unveiled; the detection of the weak electrostatic field that arises between a flower and a bee. Here, we present our latest understanding of how these electric interactions arise and how they contribute to pollination and electroreception. Finite-element modelling and experimental evidence offer new insights into how these interactions are organised and how they can be further studied. Focussing on pollen transfer, we deconstruct some of the salient features of the three ingredients that enable electrostatic interactions, namely the atmospheric electric field, the capacity of bees to accumulate positive charge, and the propensity of plants to be relatively negatively charged. This article also aims at highlighting areas in need of further investigation, where more research is required to better understand the mechanisms of electrostatic interactions and aerial electroreception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Clarke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Science Building, 24, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Erica Morley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Science Building, 24, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Daniel Robert
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Science Building, 24, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
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Herberstein ME, Painting CJ, Holwell GI. Scramble Competition Polygyny in Terrestrial Arthropods. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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35
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Aldersley A, Champneys A, Homer M, Robert D. Quantitative analysis of harmonic convergence in mosquito auditory interactions. J R Soc Interface 2016; 13:rsif.2015.1007. [PMID: 27053654 PMCID: PMC4874427 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2015.1007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This article analyses the hearing and behaviour of mosquitoes in the context of inter-individual acoustic interactions. The acoustic interactions of tethered live pairs of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, from same and opposite sex mosquitoes of the species, are recorded on independent and unique audio channels, together with the response of tethered individual mosquitoes to playbacks of pre-recorded flight tones of lone or paired individuals. A time-dependent representation of each mosquito's non-stationary wing beat frequency signature is constructed, based on Hilbert spectral analysis. A range of algorithmic tools is developed to automatically analyse these data, and used to perform a robust quantitative identification of the ‘harmonic convergence’ phenomenon. The results suggest that harmonic convergence is an active phenomenon, which does not occur by chance. It occurs for live pairs, as well as for lone individuals responding to playback recordings, whether from the same or opposite sex. Male–female behaviour is dominated by frequency convergence at a wider range of harmonic combinations than previously reported, and requires participation from both partners in the duet. New evidence is found to show that male–male interactions are more varied than strict frequency avoidance. Rather, they can be divided into two groups: convergent pairs, typified by tightly bound wing beat frequencies, and divergent pairs, that remain widely spaced in the frequency domain. Overall, the results reveal that mosquito acoustic interaction is a delicate and intricate time-dependent active process that involves both individuals, takes place at many different frequencies, and which merits further enquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Aldersley
- Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK
| | - Alan Champneys
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Martin Homer
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Daniel Robert
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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36
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Sanders ML, Jordan HR, Serewis-Pond C, Zheng L, Benbow ME, Small PL, Tomberlin JK. Mycobacterium ulcerans toxin, mycolactone may enhance host-seeking and oviposition behaviour by Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae). Environ Microbiol 2016; 19:1750-1760. [PMID: 27907248 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The ecological functions of many toxins continue to remain unknown for those produced by environmental pathogens. Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of the neglected tropical disease, Buruli ulcer, produces a cytotoxic macrolide, mycolactone, whose function(s) in the environment remains elusive. Through a series of dual-choice behaviour assays, they show that mycolactone may be an interkingdom cue for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, seeking blood-meals as well as oviposition sites. Results provide novel insight into the evolution between bacteria and potential vectors. While further studies are needed to determine if mycolactone is an actual signal rather than simply a cue, this discovery could serve as a model for determining roles for toxins produced by other environmental pathogens and provide opportunities for developing novel strategies for disease prevention. The relationship between M. ulcerans, mycolactone, and Ae. aegypti further suggests there could be an amplification effect for the spread of pathogens responsible for other diseases, such as yellow fever and dengue.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Sanders
- Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA.,Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - H R Jordan
- Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
| | | | - L Zheng
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - M E Benbow
- Department of Entomology, Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - P L Small
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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37
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Vannini L, Willis JH. Immunolocalization of cuticular proteins in Johnston's organ and the corneal lens of Anopheles gambiae. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2016; 45:519-535. [PMID: 27744002 PMCID: PMC5228451 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Previous work with EM immunolocalization examined the intracuticular placement of several antibodies directed against cuticular proteins (CPs) in various structures of Anopheles gambiae. Those structures had long stretches of fairly uniform cuticle. We have now used 19 antibodies directed against members of five CP families on two adult structures with considerable complexity, Johnston's organ and the corneal lens of the compound eye. We also localized chitin with colloidal-gold labeled wheat germ agglutinin. Twelve of these antibodies recognized structures in Johnston's organ. Only 6 were detected in the outer pedicel wall, but the internal structures were more complex with distinct distributions of members of the five CP families in six different structures. The corneal lens had four distinct regions of laminar cuticle. Thirteen of the 15 members of the CPR family were detected, none from the other CP families. Specific antibodies were localized to different regions and in different laminae within a region. The specificity of deployment of cuticular proteins revealed in this study is helping to explain why An. gambiae allocates about 2% of its protein coding genes to structural CPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vannini
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Judith H Willis
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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38
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Simões PMV, Ingham RA, Gibson G, Russell IJ. A role for acoustic distortion in novel rapid frequency modulation behaviour in free-flying male mosquitoes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:2039-47. [PMID: 27122548 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.135293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We describe a new stereotypical acoustic behaviour by male mosquitoes in response to the fundamental frequency of female flight tones during mating sequences. This male-specific free-flight behaviour consists of phonotactic flight beginning with a steep increase in wing-beat frequency (WBF) followed by rapid frequency modulation (RFM) of WBF in the lead up to copula formation. Male RFM behaviour involves remarkably fast changes in WBF and can be elicited without acoustic feedback or physical presence of the female. RFM features are highly consistent, even in response to artificial tones that do not carry the multi-harmonic components of natural female flight tones. Comparison between audiograms of the robust RFM behaviour and the electrical responses of the auditory Johnston's organ (JO) reveals that the male JO is tuned not to the female WBF per se but, remarkably, to the difference between the male and female WBFs. This difference is generated in the JO responses as a result of intermodulation distortion products (DPs) caused by non-linear interaction between male-female flight tones in the vibrations of the antenna. We propose that male mosquitoes rely on their own flight tones in making use of DPs to acoustically detect, locate and orientate towards flying females. We argue that the previously documented flight-tone harmonic convergence of flying male and female mosquitoes could be a consequence of WBF adjustments so that DPs generated through flight-tone interaction fall within the optimal frequency ranges for JO detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrício M V Simões
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Robert A Ingham
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
| | - Gabriella Gibson
- Department of Agriculture, Health and Environment, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Ian J Russell
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
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Matthews BJ, McBride CS, DeGennaro M, Despo O, Vosshall LB. The neurotranscriptome of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:32. [PMID: 26738925 PMCID: PMC4704297 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2239-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A complete genome sequence and the advent of genome editing open up non-traditional model organisms to mechanistic genetic studies. The mosquito Aedes aegypti is an important vector of infectious diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever and has a large and complex genome, which has slowed annotation efforts. We used comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of adult gene expression to improve the genome annotation and to provide a detailed tissue-specific catalogue of neural gene expression at different adult behavioral states. RESULTS We carried out deep RNA sequencing across all major peripheral male and female sensory tissues, the brain and (female) ovary. Furthermore, we examined gene expression across three important phases of the female reproductive cycle, a remarkable example of behavioral switching in which a female mosquito alternates between obtaining blood-meals from humans and laying eggs. Using genome-guided alignments and de novo transcriptome assembly, our re-annotation includes 572 new putative protein-coding genes and updates to 13.5 and 50.3 % of existing transcripts within coding sequences and untranslated regions, respectively. Using this updated annotation, we detail gene expression in each tissue, identifying large numbers of transcripts regulated by blood-feeding and sexually dimorphic transcripts that may provide clues to the biology of male- and female-specific behaviors, such as mating and blood-feeding, which are areas of intensive study for those interested in vector control. CONCLUSIONS This neurotranscriptome forms a strong foundation for the study of genes in the mosquito nervous system and investigation of sensory-driven behaviors and their regulation. Furthermore, understanding the molecular genetic basis of mosquito chemosensory behavior has important implications for vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Matthews
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Carolyn S McBride
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Present Address: Department of Biological Sciences, Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
| | - Orion Despo
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Present address: Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Leslie B Vosshall
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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Johnson BJ, Ritchie SA. The Siren's Song: Exploitation of Female Flight Tones to Passively Capture Male Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 53:245-248. [PMID: 26502754 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The need to capture male mosquitoes has intensified recently as a result of a number of male-based sterile insect technique (SIT) and population-modification programs focused on Aedes aegypti (L.) having initiated field releases. Here, we report the results of the successful exploitation of the attraction of male Ae. aegypti to female flight tones to enhance male collections in nonmechanical passive (nonbattery powered) Gravid Aedes Traps (GAT). Prior to field studies, male attraction to female flight tones of 484 and 560 Hz, as well as to a male flight tone of 715 Hz, were assessed in a series of controlled release-recapture and semifield trials. These trials determined that a pure tone of 484 Hz was significantly more attractive to free-flying males than the other flight tones and enabled their collection in sound-baited GATs (ca. 95% capture rate after 2 h; 484 Hz at 65 dB). In contrast, gravid females were unresponsive to male or female flight tones and were evenly distributed among sound-baited and control GATs. Importantly, under normal field conditions sound-baited GATs (484 Hz at 70 dB) captured significantly more male Ae. aegypti per 24-h trap interval (1.3 ± 0.37) than controls (0.2 ± 0.13). Overall, sound-bated GATs captured approximately twice as many Ae. aegypti (male and female; 3.0 ± 0.68 per interval, 30 total) than controls (1.5 ± 0.56 per interval, 15 total). These results reveal that sound-baited GATs are a simple and effective surveillance tool for Ae. aegypti that would allow current male-based SIT and population-modification programs to effectively monitor males in their target populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Johnson
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, McGregor Rd., Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia (; ) Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
| | - Scott A Ritchie
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, McGregor Rd., Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia (; ) Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
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Abstract
Nonlinear physics plays an essential role in hearing. We demonstrate on a mesoscopic description level that during the evolutionary perfection of the hearing sensor, nonlinear physics led to the unique design of the cochlea observed in mammals, and that this design requests as a consequence the perception of pitch. Our insight challenges the view that mostly genetics is responsible for the uniformity of the construction of the mammalian hearing sensor. Our analysis also suggests that scaleable and non-scaleable arrangements of nonlinear sound detectors may be at the origin of the differences between hearing sensors in amniotic lineages.
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Ramsey A, Houston TF, Ball AD, Goral T, Barclay MV, Cox JP. Towards an Understanding of Molecule Capture by the Antennae of Male Beetles Belonging to the GenusRhipicera(Coleoptera, Rhipiceridae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2015; 298:1519-34. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Terry F. Houston
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology; Western Australian Museum; Welshpool Western Australia Australia
| | | | - Tomasz Goral
- Department of Science Facilities; Natural History Museum; London UK
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43
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de Silva P, Nutter B, Bernal XE. Use of acoustic signals in mating in an eavesdropping frog-biting midge. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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44
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Mhatre N. Active amplification in insect ears: mechanics, models and molecules. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2014; 201:19-37. [PMID: 25502323 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-014-0969-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 11/15/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Active amplification in auditory systems is a unique and sophisticated mechanism that expends energy in amplifying the mechanical input to the auditory system, to increase its sensitivity and acuity. Although known for decades from vertebrates, active auditory amplification was only discovered in insects relatively recently. It was first discovered from two dipterans, mosquitoes and flies, who hear with their light and compliant antennae; only recently has it been observed in the stiffer and heavier tympanal ears of an orthopteran. The discovery of active amplification in two distinct insect lineages with independently evolved ears, suggests that the trait may be ancestral, and other insects may possess it as well. This opens up extensive research possibilities in the field of acoustic communication, not just in auditory biophysics, but also in behaviour and neurobiology. The scope of this review is to establish benchmarks for identifying the presence of active amplification in an auditory system and to review the evidence we currently have from different insect ears. I also review some of the models that have been posited to explain the mechanism, both from vertebrates and insects and then review the current mechanical, neurobiological and genetic evidence for each of these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Mhatre
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland road, Bristol, BS8 1UG, UK,
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45
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Vigoder FDM, Ritchie MG, Gibson G, Peixoto AA. Acoustic communication in insect disease vectors. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2014; 108 Suppl 1:26-33. [PMID: 24473800 PMCID: PMC4109177 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276130390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acoustic signalling has been extensively studied in insect species, which has led to a better understanding of sexual communication, sexual selection and modes of speciation. The significance of acoustic signals for a blood-sucking insect was first reported in the XIX century by Christopher Johnston, studying the hearing organs of mosquitoes, but has received relatively little attention in other disease vectors until recently. Acoustic signals are often associated with mating behaviour and sexual selection and changes in signalling can lead to rapid evolutionary divergence and may ultimately contribute to the process of speciation. Songs can also have implications for the success of novel methods of disease control such as determining the mating competitiveness of modified insects used for mass-release control programs. Species-specific sound "signatures" may help identify incipient species within species complexes that may be of epidemiological significance, e.g. of higher vectorial capacity, thereby enabling the application of more focussed control measures to optimise the reduction of pathogen transmission. Although the study of acoustic communication in insect vectors has been relatively limited, this review of research demonstrates their value as models for understanding both the functional and evolutionary significance of acoustic communication in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe de Mello Vigoder
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Brasil, Rio de JaneiroRJ, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Michael Gordon Ritchie
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Scotland, Fife, Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK
| | - Gabriella Gibson
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich,, UK, Chatham MaritimeKent, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent, UK
| | - Alexandre Afranio Peixoto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Brasil, Rio de JaneiroRJ, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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46
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Fawaz EY, Allan SA, Bernier UR, Obenauer PJ, Diclaro JW. Swarming mechanisms in the yellow fever mosquito: aggregation pheromones are involved in the mating behavior of Aedes aegypti. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2014; 39:347-354. [PMID: 25424264 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mosquitoes of various species mate in swarms comprised of tens of thousands of flying males. In this study, we examined Aedes aegypti swarming behavior and identified associated chemical cues. Novel evidence is provided that Ae. aegypti females aggregate by means of olfactory cues, such as aggregation pheromones. Isolation of Ae. aegypti aggregation pheromones was achieved by aeration of confined mosquitoes and collection of associated volatiles by glass filters. The collected volatiles were identified through gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS). Three aggregation pheromones were collected and identified as 2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-ene-1,4-dione (ketoisophorone) (CAS# 1125-21-9, t(R) = 18.75), 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexane-1,4-dione (the saturated analog of ketoisophorone) (CAS# 20547-99-3, t(R) = 20.05), and 1-(4-ethylphenyl) ethanone (CAS# 937-30-4, t(R) = 24.22). Our biological studies revealed that the identified compounds stimulated mosquito behavior under laboratory conditions. The mechanism of mosquito swarm formation is discussed in light of our behavioral study findings. A preliminary field trial demonstrated the potential application of the isolated aggregation pheromones in controlling Ae. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emadeldin Y Fawaz
- Vector Biology Research Program, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt.
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47
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Aldersley A, Champneys A, Homer M, Robert D. Time-frequency composition of mosquito flight tones obtained using Hilbert spectral analysis. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 136:1982-1989. [PMID: 25324097 DOI: 10.1121/1.4895689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Techniques for estimating temporal variation in the frequency content of acoustic tones based on short-time fast Fourier transforms are fundamentally limited by an inherent time-frequency trade-off. This paper presents an alternative methodology, based on Hilbert spectral analysis, which is not affected by this weakness, and applies it to the accurate estimation of mosquito wing beat frequencies. Mosquitoes are known to communicate with one another via the sounds generated by their flapping wings. Active frequency modulation between pairs of mosquitoes is thought to take place as a precursor to courtship. Studying the acoustically-based interactions of mosquitoes therefore relies on an accurate representation of flight frequency as a time-evolving property, yet conventional Fourier spectrograms are unable to capture the rapid modulations in frequency that mosquito flight tones exhibit. The algorithms introduced in this paper are able to automatically detect and extract fully temporally resolved frequency information from audio recordings. Application of the technique to experimental recordings of single tethered mosquitoes in flight reveals corroboration with previous reported findings. The advantages of the method for animal communication studies are discussed, with particular attention given to its potential utility for studying pairwise mosquito interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Aldersley
- Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences, University of Bristol, Queen's Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Champneys
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Homer
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Robert
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
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48
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Loudon C, Bustamante J, Kellogg DW. Cricket antennae shorten when bending (Acheta domesticus L.). Front Physiol 2014; 5:242. [PMID: 25018734 PMCID: PMC4071997 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect antennae are important mechanosensory and chemosensory organs. Insect appendages, such as antennae, are encased in a cuticular exoskeleton and are thought to bend only between segments or subsegments where the cuticle is thinner, more flexible, or bent into a fold. There is a growing appreciation of the dominating influence of folds in the mechanical behavior of a structure, and the bending of cricket antennae was considered in this context. Antennae will bend or deflect in response to forces, and the resulting bending behavior will affect the sensory input of the antennae. In some cricket antennae, such as in those of Acheta domesticus, there are a large number (>100) of subsegments (flagellomeres) that vary in their length. We evaluated whether these antennae bend only at the joints between flagellomeres, which has always been assumed but not tested. In addition we questioned whether an antenna undergoes a length change as it bends, which would result from some patterns of joint deformation. Measurements using light microscopy and SEM were conducted on both male and female adult crickets (Acheta domesticus) with bending in four different directions: dorsal, ventral, medial, and lateral. Bending occurred only at the joints between flagellomeres, and antennae shortened a comparable amount during bending, regardless of sex or bending direction. The cuticular folds separating antennal flagellomeres are not very deep, and therefore as an antenna bends, the convex side (in tension) does not have a lot of slack cuticle to “unfold” and does not lengthen during bending. Simultaneously on the other side of the antenna, on the concave side in compression, there is an increasing overlap in the folded cuticle of the joints during bending. Antennal shortening during bending would prevent stretching of antennal nerves and may promote hemolymph exchange between the antenna and head.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Loudon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jorge Bustamante
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Derek W Kellogg
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas Lawrence, KS, USA
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49
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Arthur BJ, Emr KS, Wyttenbach RA, Hoy RR. Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) flight tones: frequency, harmonicity, spherical spreading, and phase relationships. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 135:933-41. [PMID: 25234901 PMCID: PMC3985972 DOI: 10.1121/1.4861233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito flight produces a tone as a side effect of wing movement; this tone is also a communication signal that is frequency-modulated during courtship. Recordings of tones produced by tethered flying male and female Aedes aegypti were undertaken using pairs of pressure-gradient microphones above and below, ahead and behind, and to the left and right over a range of distances. Fundamental frequencies were close to those previously reported, although amplitudes were lower. The male fundamental frequency was higher than that of the female and males modulated it over a wider range. Analysis of harmonics shows that the first six partials were nearly always within 1 Hz of integer multiples of the fundamental, even when the fundamental was being modulated. Along the front-back axis, amplitude attenuated as a function of distance raised to the power 2.3. Front and back recordings were out of phase, as were above and below, while left and right were in phase. Recordings from ahead and behind showed quadratic phase coupling, while others did not. Finally, two methods are presented for separating simultaneous flight tones in a single recording and enhancing their frequency resolution. Implications for mosquito behavior are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Arthur
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Kevin S Emr
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Robert A Wyttenbach
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Ronald R Hoy
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
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50
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Lakes-Harlan R, deVries T, Stölting H, Stumpner A. Useless hearing in male Emblemasoma auditrix (Diptera, Sarcophagidae)--a case of intralocus sexual conflict during evolution of a complex sense organ? PLoS One 2014; 9:e87211. [PMID: 24489872 PMCID: PMC3904991 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 12/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory modalities typically are important for both sexes, although sex-specific functional adaptations may occur frequently. This is true for hearing as well. Consequently, distinct behavioural functions were identified for the different insect hearing systems. Here we describe a first case, where a trait of an evolutionary novelty and a highly specialized hearing organ is adaptive in only one sex. The main function of hearing of the parasitoid fly Emblemasoma auditrix is to locate the host, males of the cicada species Okanagana rimosa, by their calling song. This task is performed by female flies, which deposit larvae into the host. We show that male E. auditrix possess a hearing sense as well. The morphology of the tympanal organ of male E. auditrix is rather similar to the female ear, which is 8% broader than the male ear. In both sexes the physiological hearing threshold is tuned to 5 kHz. Behavioural tests show that males are able to orient towards the host calling song, although phonotaxis often is incomplete. However, despite extensive observations in the field and substantial knowledge of the biology of E. auditrix, no potentially adaptive function of the male auditory sense has been identified. This unique hearing system might represent an intralocus sexual conflict, as the complex sense organ and the behavioural relevant neuronal network is adaptive for only one sex. The correlated evolution of the sense organ in both sexes might impose substantial constraints on the sensory properties of the ear. Similar constraints, although hidden, might also apply to other sensory systems in which behavioural functions differ between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reinhard Lakes-Harlan
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institute for Animal Physiology, AG Integrative Sensory Physiology, Gießen, Germany
| | - Thomas deVries
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institute for Animal Physiology, AG Integrative Sensory Physiology, Gießen, Germany
| | - Heiko Stölting
- Georg-August University Göttingen, Cellular Neurobiology, Schwann-Schleiden-Forschungszentrum, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Stumpner
- Georg-August University Göttingen, Cellular Neurobiology, Schwann-Schleiden-Forschungszentrum, Göttingen, Germany
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