title: The role of proboscis of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles stephensi in host-seeking behavior.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The proboscis is an essential head appendage in insects that processes gustatory code during food intake, particularly useful considering that blood-sucking arthropods routinely reach vessels under the host skin using this proboscis as a probe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, using an automated device able to quantify CO(2)-activated thermo (35°C)-sensing behavior of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi, we uncovered that the protruding proboscis of mosquitoes contributes unexpectedly to host identification from a distance. Ablation experiments indicated that not only antennae and maxillary palps, but also proboscis were required for the identification of pseudo-thermo targets. Furthermore, the function of the proboscis during this behavior can be segregated from CO(2) detection required to evoke mosquito activation, suggesting that the proboscis of mosquitoes divide the proboscis into a "thermo-antenna" in addition to a "thermo-probe".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support an emerging view with a possible role of proboscis as important equipment during host-seeking, and give us an insight into how these appendages likely evolved from a common origin in order to function as antenna organs.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center of Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: Hiroka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aonuma
authors.forename: Bryce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tokunaga
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanuka
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013697:Thermosensing
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide