ODOR-MEDIATED BEHAVIOR OF AFROTROPICAL MALARIA MOSQUITOES

• Published in: Annual review of entomology Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 131 - 157
• Main Authors: Takken, Willem, Knols, Bart G. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto, CA 94303-0139 Annual Reviews 01.01.1999; 4139 El Camino Way, P.O. Box 10139 Annual Reviews, Inc; USA
• Subjects: Africa; Animals; Anopheles - parasitology; Anopheles - physiology; Anopheles funestus; Anopheles gambiae; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Culicidae; Feeding Behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; host seeking; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Insect Vectors; Laboratorium voor Entomologie; Laboratory of Entomology; Malaria; Malaria - transmission; Male; mating; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Odorants; Oviposition; PE&RC; semiochemicals; Sexual Behavior, Animal; sugar feeding; Vector-borne diseases; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Afrotropical region; Chemical communication; Protozoal disease; Feeding behavior; Malaria; Insecta; Pheromone; Host; Review; Parasitosis; Searching behavior; Kairomone; Infection; Mating; Anopheles gambiae; Arthropoda; Culicidae; Invertebrata; Egg laying behavior; Odor; Vector; Diptera; Semiochemicals
• ISSN: 0066-4170; 1545-4487
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ento.44.1.131

The African mosquito species Anopheles gambiae sensu lato s.l. and Anopheles funestus rank among the world's most efficient vectors of human malaria. Their unique bionomics, particularly their anthropophilic, endophagic and endophilic characters, guarantee a strong mosquito-host interaction, favorable to malaria transmission. Olfactory cues govern the various behaviors of female mosquitoes and here we review the role of semiochemicals in the life history of African malaria vectors. Recent evidence points towards the existence of human-specific kairomones affecting host-seeking A. gambiae s.l., and efforts are under way to identify the volatiles mediating this behavior. Based on examples from other Culicidae spp., it is argued that there is good reason to assume that mating, sugar feeding, and oviposition behavior in Afrotropical malaria vectors may also be mediated by semiochemicals. It is foreseen that increased knowledge of odor-mediated behaviors will be applied in the development of novel sampling techniques and possibly alternative methods of intervention to control malaria.