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Daily patterns of locomotor and sugar‐feeding activity of the mosquito Culex annulirostris from geographically isolated populations
Author(s) -
Williams Craig R.,
Kokkinn Michael J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.2005.00462.x
Subject(s) - crepuscular , biology , nocturnal , adaptation (eye) , zoology , sugar , ecology , locomotor activity , food science , neuroscience , endocrinology
. The daily patterns of locomotor and sugar‐feeding activity of virgin female Culex annulirostris from three regions in Australia and a laboratory colony are studied using video techniques in the laboratory. Although all populations display a crepuscular/nocturnal locomotor pattern, significant variation exists between populations, with the pattern of those from southern Australia differing markedly from those in central and northern Australia. It is hypothesized that adaptation of populations to local climates is responsible. Sugar‐feeding (inferred from landing on a sugar source) is mostly crepuscular/nocturnal in all populations. The behavioural variation that exists within wide‐ranging mosquito species is highlighted, and indicates that significant behavioural differences exist between laboratory colonies and wild‐types.