Spatial and temporal characteristics of laboratory-induced Anopheles coluzzii swarms: Shape, structure, and flight kinematics
Malaria mosquitoes mate in swarms, but how these swarms are formed and maintained remains poorly understood. We characterized three-dimensional spatiotemporal flight kinematics of <i>Anopheles coluzzii</i> males swarming at sunset above a ground marker. The location, shape, and volume of swarms were highly stereotypic, consistent over the complete swarming duration. Swarms have an elliptical cone shape; mean flight kinematics varies spatially within the swarm, but remain rather consistent throughout swarming duration. Using a sensory system-informed model, we show that swarming mosquitoes use visual perception of both the ground marker and sunset horizon to display the swarming behavior. To control their height, swarming individuals maintain an optical angle of the marker ranging from 24° to 55°. Limiting the viewing angle deviation to 4.5% of the maximum value results in the observed elliptical cone swarm shape. We discuss the implications of these finding on malaria mosquito mating success, speciation and for vector control.
Authors
- Olivier Gnankiné (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6006-6533)
- Lionel Feugère (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0883-5224)
- Olivier Roux (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5440-0219)
- Charles Nignan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4357-9927)
- Abdoulaye Diabaté (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9666-9395)
- Serge Bèwadéyir Poda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8982-2355)
- Florian Titus Muijres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5668-0653)
- Pie Müller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0181-5781)
- Roch K. Dabiré (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3471-3506)
- Antoine Cribellier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5113-7531)
- Domonbabélé François de Sales Hien (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8136-2702)
- Mathurin Fatou
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (BF)
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (CH)
- University of Basel (CH)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Agropolis International (FR)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle (FR)
- Université Sorbonne Paris Nord (FR)
- Centre Muraz (BF)
- Natural Resources Institute (GB)
- Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (BF)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- University of Greenwich (GB)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- iScience
- Published
- 2024-10-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.111164
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.71
Funders
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
- Human Frontier Science Program
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Wageningen University and Research