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1 May 2005 Comparative Study on Nocturnal Behavior of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus
Hitoshi Kawada, Shin-Ya Takemura, Kentaro Arikawa, Masahiro Takagi
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Abstract

Nocturnal behavior of nonblood-fed females of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) was studied using an automatic recording device equipped with a photoelectric sensor. Carbon dioxide, heating, and the contrast of the black and white colors were used as attractive cues for mosquitoes. The nocturnal host-seeking activity positively correlated with the increasing light intensity in both species. Ae. aegypti was found to be more sensitive to light than Ae. albopictus. The threshold of light intensity for the activation of the nocturnal host-seeking activity was <0.1 lx (≈0.01 foot candle) in Ae. aegypti and >10 lx (≈1 foot candle) in Ae. albopictus. Complete darkness during the daytime deactivated the host-seeking activity of both species, irrespective of their increasing flight activity controlled by their intrinsic circadian rhythms. This finding suggested that visual cues are indispensable for host-seeking behavior. The eye parameter value, the product of the ommatidial diameter, and the interommatidial angle were significantly larger in Ae. aegypti than those in Ae. albopictus, indicating that the eye of Ae. aegypti is more adapted to a darker environment.

Hitoshi Kawada, Shin-Ya Takemura, Kentaro Arikawa, and Masahiro Takagi "Comparative Study on Nocturnal Behavior of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus," Journal of Medical Entomology 42(3), 312-318, (1 May 2005). https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-2585(2005)042[0312:CSONBO]2.0.CO;2
Received: 9 August 2004; Accepted: 24 January 2005; Published: 1 May 2005
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KEYWORDS
Aedes aegypti
Aedes albopictus
eye parameter
nocturnal behavior
photoelectric sensor
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