Abstract

The field of mosquito chemical ecology has shifted focus over the past five years, driven by the recognition that odour-mediated behaviours are regulated by distinct chemical codes, that is, odour blends emanating from the natural environment. As a research community, we have shifted from our anthropocentric focus to include other behaviours, including plant seeking and oviposition site seeking, in order to develop new tools to combat residual malaria in the wake of the increased insecticide and behavioural resistance in mosquitoes across sub-Saharan Africa. In this short review, we will outline the progress made, and the future directions, in understanding blend recognition and chemical parsimony, and their implications for preadaptation of the odour coding system in malaria mosquitoes.

Published in

Current Opinion in Insect Science
2020, Volume: 40, pages: 6-10

SLU Authors

• Ignell, Rickard

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hill, Sharon

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages


UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology
Ecology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2020.03.008

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/105629