Ethology researchers have uncovered the astonishingly selective dining habits of mosquitoes when it comes to frogs. Biologist John Gould, during a study on Australia’s Kooragang Island from 2020 to 2022, observed a peculiar feeding strategy employed by mosquitoes on frogs, shedding light on potential insights into the transmission of frog diseases.
Gould’s discovery revolves around the Mimomyia elegans mosquito, which typically has a broad diet, including amphibians, mammals, and birds. However, when it comes to frogs, the mosquito’s feeding strategy appears to be highly specialized. The mosquitoes, particularly intrigued by the frogs’ nostrils, exhibit a preference for this specific area.
Gould suggests that the soft and thin skin around the frog’s nostrils makes it an easy target for the mosquito’s biting mouthparts. The possibility of a high density of blood vessels near the surface of the nostril skin further adds to the attractiveness of this feeding location.
Despite the risk of being detected and potentially eaten by the frogs, the mosquitoes seem to have a stealthy workaround. Gould observed some mosquitoes landing on the frogs’ backs before carefully making their way towards the head. This cautious approach might help them avoid detection and potential harm from their insect-eating hosts.
This finding is important for more than just bugs; it has big effects on other things too. Gould and his colleagues have previously demonstrated that mosquitoes could be vectors for the amphibian chytrid fungus, a significant threat to amphibians globally. Understanding where mosquitoes land and feed on frogs could provide valuable insights into the spread of infections across the skin surfaces of these vulnerable amphibians.
The study includes photographic evidence of mosquitoes feeding on green and golden bell frogs (Litoria aurea), species considered vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, mainly due to habitat loss. The researchers emphasize the importance of laboratory experiments to confirm mosquitoes’ nasal predilections. Manuela Carnaghi, an insect behavioral ecologist at the University of Greenwich, emphasizes the need to determine how mosquitoes target and bite various hosts. This knowledge is crucial for understanding disease transmission, especially concerning the potential of mosquito-borne pathogens or parasites to jump between different species.
