## Mosquito mating:โข A Female-Controlled, species-Specific Process
Recentโค research from โRockefeller University has revealed โintricateโค details of โthe mating process in โฃtwo significant mosquito species: *Aedes aegypti* (yellow fever mosquito) โand โฃ*Aedes albopictus*โ (Asian tiger mosquito). These mosquitoes are vectors for numerous โฃviruses impacting human health, including โฃyellow fever, dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya. The โstudy,โค ledโ by Houri-Zeevi and colleagues, focused on the step-by-step interactions during โคmating, analyzing pairings both within โฃand betweenโค species, and including both virgin and previously mated females.
Using high-speed,high-resolution cameras,deep learning,and transgenic mosquitoes with fluorescent sperm,the โresearchers identified a consistentโฃ three-step process โfor successful matingโฃ in both species. This processโค begins with the โขmale contacting the โfemale’s genitalia โฃwith his genital tip. โthe female then determines whether to elongate her genital tip โฃto approximately twice โคits resting length – aโ crucial step; โขwithoutโ this elongation, mating cannot proceed. If elongation occurs, the โขmale’s internal genitalia interlocks withโฃ the โfemale’s tip, facilitatingโ sperm transfer.
The key toโ triggering this female response in *Aedes aegypti* โwas found to beโฃ rapidly evolving โmale structures calledโค gonostyli.These structures are inserted into the โfemale genital tip and vibrate โฃduring copulation attempts.Importantly,the study โฃdemonstratedโฃ that once a female mosquito has successfully mated,she will not elongateโ her genital tip โagain,effectively preventing further insemination.
While this โtip โelongation โmechanism is shared between the two โspecies – despite โฃdiverging approximately 35 million years ago – differences exist, suggesting a species-specific “lock-and-key” relationship between male and female genitalia. Thisโค is furtherโ supported by theโค fact thatโค *Aedes aegypti* and *Aedes albopictus* cannot produce viable offspring.
Interestingly,researchers observed that male Asian tiger mosquitoes,possessing significantly largerโค gonostyli than thier *Aedes aegypti* counterparts,can “override” the โmatingโข control of yellow fever females and โachieve mating *without* the typicalโ female genital tip elongation. Thisโฃ “lock picking” behavior was only observed in cross-species mating attempts, not within the same species.
This finding possibly explains observations by entomologists in the southern United states,โข where the introduction of Asian tiger mosquitoes often correlates with a decline or disappearance of yellowโค fever mosquito populations.
The research also has implications forโข mosquito โpopulation control strategies that rely โon โขsterile male โpairings with wild females, highlightingโ the โขimportance of understanding the compatibility between โคgenetically modified males and local wildโฃ populations.
Future research will focus โon deciphering the neuronal mechanisms underlying the female’s decision-making process during mate selection, aiming โto understand “howโ she chooses between different suitors given that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime choice.”
(Source: Rockefeller โฃuniversityโค -โ https://www.rockefeller.edu/news/38501-when-it-comes-to-mating-female-mosquitoes-call-the-shots)
