Australian Mosquitoes Develop a Preference for Drawing Blood from Frog Nostrils

2023-11-30 10:48:31

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An Australian mosquito species has developed an unusual blood-sucking preference, homing in on the nostrils of frogs. Researchers have found that these particular mosquitoes tend to feast exclusively on frog nostrils, as reported in the journal Ethology. The ease of access and potential high blood vessel density in frogs' nasal skin may make these spots especially appealing for feeding. This discovery has implications for understanding how diseases are transmitted among frog populations.

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Behavioral biologist John Gould came across these nostril-nibbling insects by chance while observing frogs in ponds on Kooragang Island, Australia. Between 2020 and 2022, Gould captured photos during his frog surveys, which revealed an astonishing pattern. "It was only once I laid out all the photos together that I realized something very particular and surprising was happening," he recalls. In every documented instance, the mosquitoes were found to be targeting the frogs' nostrils.

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Although some mosquito species exclusively feed on amphibians, the mosquito Mimomyia elegans has a more varied diet, including amphibians, mammals, and birds. "Yet its feeding strategy when using frogs appears to be highly specialized," Gould notes, emphasizing the unusual dietary behavior of this particular mosquito species.

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The nose's skin might be particularly delicate and thin, allowing mosquitoes to puncture it with ease to draw blood, speculates Gould. An alternative suggestion he puts forward is the possibility of an abundance of blood vessels near the nose's skin surface. Nonetheless, opting to feed directly on the nostrils of a formidable insect predator carries inherent risks, such as the proximity of the mosquito to the frog's adhesive tongue.

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Gould suggests that the mosquitoes have developed a clever evasion tactic. He describes how some would initially land on the frogs' backs, then strategically move towards the head - a method that likely reduces their chances of being noticed and eaten by the frog.

Prior research by Gould and his team suggests that mosquitoes could play a role as carriers for the amphibian chytrid fungus, a significant threat to amphibian species worldwide. "Determining where exactly mosquitoes land and subsequently feed on frogs may allow scientists to better understand the spread of the infection across the skin surfaces of frogs," Gould elaborates.

Mosquitoes were also observed feeding on the vulnerable green and golden bell frogs (Litoria aurea), as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This behavior could offer insights into the conservation challenges these endangered species face, particularly those related to disease.

Manuela Carnaghi, an insect behavioral ecologist at the University of Greenwich, suggests a laboratory observation to further verify the mosquitoes' preference for nasal feeding. Such experiments could contribute to a fuller understanding of how disease vectors choose their hosts and the implications this has for interspecies disease transmission, according to Carnaghi.

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