title: Olfaction-based anthropophily in a mosquito-specialist predator.
abstract: Evarcha culicivora is an unusual salticid spider because it feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as preferred prey. Its preferred mosquitoes are Anopheles, the genus to which all human malaria vectors belong. Here, we show that human odour, which is known to be salient to malaria vectors, is also salient to the adults and juveniles of E. culicivora. Test spiders spent more time in the vicinity of a source of human odour (previously worn socks) when the alternative was unworn socks.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand. fiona.r.cross@gmail.com
authors.forename: Fiona R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012903:Smell; D013112:Spiders / Q000502:physiology*