Turning up the heat: infrared sensing during mosquito host-seeking

Trends Parasitol. 2024 Nov;40(11):954-955. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.10.002. Epub 2024 Oct 17.

Abstract

The yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti uses multiple sensory systems to identify a blood-meal victim. Recent work by Chandel et al. identifies infrared radiation as a medium-distance cue acting through TrpA1 and two opsins to help target hosts, furthering our understanding of the multisensory hunting strategy used by mosquitoes on the prowl.

Keywords: TRP channels; host-seeking; infrared radiation; mosquitoes; multisensory integration; thermosensation.

MeSH terms

  • Aedes* / physiology
  • Animals
  • Host-Seeking Behavior / physiology
  • Infrared Rays*
  • Mosquito Vectors / physiology