Some aspects of behaviour and electrophysiology of chemoreception in the mosquito, Armigeres subalbatus

Abstract

Chemoreception in Armigeres subalbatus was investigated through behavioural experiments and electrophysiologcal techniques. Behavioural experiments were carried out to analyse the olfactory response towards plant extracts, organic as well as inorganic chemicals and natural products. Twelve attractants and seven repellents were traced. Correlation between response to the tested stimuli and age of the mosquito was observed. Contact chemoreceptors of the labrum and labellum in males and females were investigated electrophysiologcally, whlch showed that females possess contact chemosensilla on the labrum as well as labellum whereas in males only labellum possess contact chemosensilla. 0-24h aged mosquitoes (both the sexes) do not show any response to any of the stimuli tested. Across sensilla patterns in mosquitoes were analysed for the first time in mosquitoes and found that the pattern is different in males and females for the same chemical. Across sensilla pattern was compared to the across neuron pattern reported in the olfactory bulb and the nucleus solitarius in the brain stem of the vertebrates.