Avian phenotypic traits related to feeding preferences in two Culex mosquitoes

• Published in: Die Naturwissenschaften Vol. 104; no. 9-10; pp. 76 - 10
• Main Authors: Yan, Jiayue, Gangoso, Laura, Martínez-de la Puente, Josué, Soriguer, Ramón, Figuerola, Jordi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.10.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Animals; Aquatic insects; Attraction; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Birds; Blood; Coloration; Cues; Culex; Culicidae; Dilution; Disease transmission; Environment; Feeding; Feeding Behavior; Forage; Infectious diseases; Insect bites; Insect Vectors; Life Sciences; Morphometry; Mosquitoes; Nesting; Nesting behavior; Original Paper; Phylogeny; Plumage; Roosting behavior; Species; Vector-borne diseases; mosquitoes; Host-seeking behavior; Trait-based approach; Insect vectors; Forage ratio; Phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) models; Culex mosquitoes
• ISSN: 0028-1042; 1432-1904
• DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1497-x

Host choice by mosquitoes affects the transmission dynamics of vector-borne infectious diseases. Although asymmetries in mosquito attraction to vertebrate species have been reported, the relative importance of host characteristics in mosquito blood-feeding behavior is still poorly studied. Here, we investigate the relationship between avian phenotypic traits—in particular, morphometry, plumage coloration, and nesting and roosting behavior—and the blood-feeding patterns in two common Culex mosquito species on a North American avian community. Forage ratios of the mosquito species were unrelated to the phylogenetic relationships among bird species. Culex pipiens fed preferably on birds with lighter-colored plumage and longer tarsi; furthermore, solitary roosting avian species were both bitten by Cx. pipiens and Cx. restuans more often than expected. These associations may be explained by greater mosquito attraction towards larger birds with a greater color contrast against the background. Although communally roosting birds may release more cues and attract more mosquitoes, individuals may in fact receive fewer bites due to the encounter-dilution effect. Mosquito feeding behavior is a highly complex phenomenon, and our results may improve understanding of the non-random interaction between birds and mosquitoes in natural communities.