Presentation Details
| From Frogs to Fitness: Exploring the Acoustic Preferences of a Frog-Biting Mosquito Richa Singh1, 2, Yu-Wei Cheng1, Sydney Moeller1, Ximena Bernal1.2. 1Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.2Smithsonian Tropical Reseach Institute, Pananá Panama |
Abstract
Host preferences of mosquitoes feeding on ectothermic hosts remain largely unexplored. We investigate the host preferences of Uranotaenia lowii, an acoustically oriented mosquito specialized in eavesdropping on frog calls. We hypothesize that mosquito acoustic preferences are shaped by selection to maximize offspring production. To test this idea, we characterized the calls of six frog species with different evolutionary histories with the mosquitoes and assessed relative attractiveness by tracking mosquito movement to the calls. We also examined the defensive behavior of these hosts when exposed to the mosquitoes. Measuring clutch size, larval development, and adult size, we assessed the fitness consequences of feeding on different hosts. By comparing responses to sympatric and allopatric frogs, as well as invasive species, we reveal that more attractive calls confer higher fitness. Unexpectedly, the invasive host was the highest attractiveness and fitness payoff. This work broadens our understanding of how invasive species may change species interactions and provides proximate and evolutionary insights into host-seeking behavior used by mosquitoes exploiting ectothermic hosts.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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