Martin Dessart, Miguel Piñeirúa, Claudio R. Lazzari, Fernando J. Guerrieri
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Mosquito larvae display a stereotyped escape response when they rest attached to the water surface. It consists in detaching from the surface and diving, to return to the surface after a brief time. It has been shown that this response can be evoked several times, by repeatedly presenting a moving shadow. Diving triggered by a potential danger revealed as a simple bioassay for investigating behavioural responses in mosquito larvae, in particular their ability to learn. In the present work, we describe an automated system, based on video-tracking individuals, and extracting quantitative data of their movements. We validated our system, by reinvestigating the habituation response of larvae of Aedes aegypti reared in the laboratory, and providing original data on field-collected larvae of genera Culex and Anopheles. Habituation could be demonstrated to occur in all the species, even though it was not possible to induce dishabituation in Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes. In addition to non-associative learning, we characterised motor activity in the studied species, thanks to the possibility offered by the tracking system to extract multiple variables. The here-described system and algorithms can be easily adapted to multiple experimental situations and variables of interest.
期刊介绍:
All aspects of insect physiology are published in this journal which will also accept papers on the physiology of other arthropods, if the referees consider the work to be of general interest. The coverage includes endocrinology (in relation to moulting, reproduction and metabolism), pheromones, neurobiology (cellular, integrative and developmental), physiological pharmacology, nutrition (food selection, digestion and absorption), homeostasis, excretion, reproduction and behaviour. Papers covering functional genomics and molecular approaches to physiological problems will also be included. Communications on structure and applied entomology can be published if the subject matter has an explicit bearing on the physiology of arthropods. Review articles and novel method papers are also welcomed.