11. Jackson, M; Belton, P; McMahon, S; Hart, M; McCann, S; Azevedo, D; Hurteau, L. (2016) The First Record of Aedes (Hulecoeteomyia) japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Its Establishment in Western Canada.Journal of Medical Entomology 53: 241-244 The First Record of Aedes (Hulecoeteomyia) japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Its Establishment in Western Canada
invasive species; virus vector; distribution; overwintering
The potential disease-carrying mosquito, Aedes japonicus (Theobald) (Diptera: Culicidae), was identified among larvae collected in suburban Vancouver, BC, in July 2014, and over 200 were found at the same site in February 2015 where it presumably had overwintered in the egg stage. In late May 2015, a female was captured taking a bloodmeal 13km east of the larval site. This population and those in the Washington and Oregon states are clearly disjunct from those in eastern North America, and their origin, probably from one or more different introductions from Asia, is discussed. Key characters of those in British Columbia are examined and match the description of subspecies japonicus, presumably like the others in North America.Website DOI
10. Sota, T, P. Belton, M. Tseng, H.S. Yong & M. Mogi. (2015) Phylogeography of the Coastal Mosquito Aedes togoi across Climatic Zones: Testing an Anthropogenic Dispersal Hypothesis.PLOS One 10 (6) : e0131230 Phylogeography of the Coastal Mosquito Aedes togoi across Climatic Zones: Testing an Anthropogenic Dispersal Hypothesis
The coastal mosquito Aedes togoi occurs more or less continuously from subarctic to subtropic
zones along the coasts of the Japanese islands and the East Asian mainland. It
occurs also in tropical Southeast Asia and the North American Pacific coast, and the populations
there are thought to have been introduced from Japan by ship. To test this hypothesis,
the genetic divergence among geographic populations of A. togoi was studied using
one mitochondrial and three nuclear gene sequences. We detected 71 mitochondrial haplotypes
forming four lineages, with high nucleotide diversity around temperate Japan and
declining towards peripheral ranges. The major lineage (L1) comprised 57 haplotypes from
temperate and subarctic zones in Japan and Southeast Asia including southern China and
Taiwan. Two other lineages were found from subtropical islands (L3) and a subarctic area
(L4) of Japan. The Canadian population showed one unique haplotype (L2) diverged from
the other lineages. In the combined nuclear gene tree, individuals with mitochondrial L4
haplotypes diverged from those with the other mitochondrial haplotypes L1—L3; although
individuals with L1—L3 haplotypes showed shallow divergences in the nuclear gene
sequences, individuals from Southeast Asia and Canada each formed a monophyletic
group. Overall, the genetic composition of the Southeast Asian populations was closely
related to that of temperate Japanese populations, suggesting recent gene flow between
these regions. The Canadian population might have originated from anthropogenic introduction
from somewhere in Asia, but the possibility that it could have spread across the Beringian
land bridge cannot be ruled out. DOI
8. Waliwitiya, R; Belton, P; Nicholson, RA; Lowenberger, CA. (2012) Plant Terpenoids: Acute Toxicities and Effects on Flight Motor Activity and Wing Beat Frequency in the Blow Fly Phaenicia sericata.Journal of Economic Entomology 105: 72-84 Plant Terpenoids: Acute Toxicities and Effects on Flight Motor Activity and Wing Beat Frequency in the Blow Fly Phaenicia sericata
flight muscles; eugenol; pulegone; alpha-terpineol; citronellal
We evaluated the acute toxicities and the physiological effects of plant monoterpenoids (eugenol, pulegone, citronellal and alpha-terpineol) and neuroactive insecticides (malathion, dieldrin and RH3421) on flight muscle impulses (FMI) and wing beat signals (WBS) of the blow fly (Phaenicia sericata). Topically-applied eugenol, pulegone, citronellal, and alpha-terpineol produced neurotoxic symptoms, but were less toxic than malathion, dieldrin, or RH3421. Topical application of eugenol, pulegone, and citronellal reduced spike amplitude in one of the two banks of blow fly dorsolongitudinal flight muscles within 6-8 min, but with citronellal, the amplitude of FMIs reverted to a normal pattern within 1 hr. In contrast to pulegone and citronellal, where impulse frequency remained relatively constant, eugenol caused a gradual increase, then a decline in the frequency of spikes in each muscle bank. Wing beating was blocked permanently within 6-7 min of administering pulegone or citronellal and within 16 mins with eugenol. alpha-Terpineol-treated blow flies could not beat their wings despite normal FMI patterns. The actions of these monoterpenoids on blow fly flight motor patterns are discussed and compared with those of dieldrin, malathion, RH3421, and a variety of other neuroactive substances we have previously investigated in this system. Eugenol, pulegone and citronellal readily penetrate blow fly cuticle and interfere with flight muscle and/or central nervous function. Although there were differences in the effects of these compounds, they mainly depressed flight-associated responses, and acted similarly to compounds that block sodium channels and facilitate GABA action. DOI
7. Hart, M., P. Belton & R. Kuhn. (2011) The Risler Manuscript,European Mosquito Bulletin 29: 103-113 The Risler Manuscript,
Aedes vexans, Johnston's organ, hearing
An unpublished manuscript “The Auditory Organ of Male Mosquitoes (Culicidae) (Studies on Aëdes vexans
Meigen 1830)” describes the structure of the pedicels and flagella of male and female Aedes vexans (=
Aedimorphus1vexans) from scanning and transmission electron micrographs. We reproduce diagrams from the
manuscript showing an in-depth section of the pedicel and first few flagellar segments, a hinge involved in
extending and collapsing the long fibrils on the male flagellum that has not been described before in the Culicinae
and the structure and arrangement of two different types of sensory units (scolopidia), one of which we speculate
might be involved in vibrating the flagellum and increasing the sensitivity of Johnston’s organ.Website
5. Waliwitiya, R; Belton, P; Nicholson, RA; Lowenberger, CA. (2010) Effects of the essential oil constituent thymol and other neuroactive chemicals on flight motor activity and wing beat frequency in the blowfly Phaenicia sericata.Pest Management Science 66: 277-289 Effects of the essential oil constituent thymol and other neuroactive chemicals on flight motor activity and wing beat frequency in the blowfly Phaenicia sericata
flight motor activity; wing beat; thymol; GABA
BACKGROUND: The effects were evaluated of the plant terpenoid thymol and eight other neuroactive compounds on flight muscle impulses (FMIs) and wing beat frequency (WBF) of tethered blowflies (Phaenicia sericata Meig.). RESULTS: The electrical activity of the dorsolongitudinal flight muscles was closely linked to the WBF of control insects. Topically applied thymol inhibited WBF within 15-30 min and reduced FMI frequency. Octopamine and chlordimeform caused a similar, early-onset bursting pattern that decreased in amplitude with time. Desmethylchlordimeform blocked wing beating within 60 min and generated a profile of continuous but lower-frequency FMIs. Fipronil suppressed wing beating and induced a pattern of continuous, variable-frequency spiking that diminished gradually over 6 h. Cypermethrin- and rotenone-treated flies had initial strong FMIs that declined with time. In flies injected with GABA, the FMIs were generally unidirectional and frequency was reduced, as was seen with thymol. CONCLUSIONS: Thymol readily penetrates the cuticle and interferes with flight muscle and central nervous function in the blowfly. The similarity of the action of thymol and GABA suggests that this terpenoid acts centrally in blowflies by mimicking or facilitating GABA action. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry DOI
4. Weiser, J. P.Belton, Z. Ziska & J. Holusa. (2010) Ultrastructure of the Microsporidian, Duboscqia legeri, the type species of the Genus Duboscqia Perez 1908.Acta Protozool. 49: 125-131 Ultrastructure of the Microsporidian, Duboscqia legeri, the type species of the Genus Duboscqia Perez 1908
Summary. The type species of the genus Duboscqia Perez, 1908 (Opisthokonta, Microspora), D. legeri is a pathogen of termites. It was
found again in Zootermopsis angusticollis in British Columbia and the material is used for emendation of data on ultrastructures of this old
genus. The sporogony of this microsporidian ends with 16 oval spores closed in sporophorous vesicles. The isofilar polar filament coiled in
13 coils, the arched anchoring disc and the polaroplast with tightly packed lamellae are typical for the ultrastructures of uninucleate spores.
The sporophorous vesicle is persistent. The microsporidian infects cyst-like lobes of the fat body hanging free in the body cavity. Relations
to other related genera are discussed.
3. Leighton, BJ; Roitberg, BD; Belton, P; Lowenberger, CA. (2008) Host antibodies in mosquito bloodmeals: A potential tool to detect and monitor infectious diseases in wildlife.Journal of Medical Entomology 45: 470-475 Host antibodies in mosquito bloodmeals: A potential tool to detect and monitor infectious diseases in wildlife
mosquito; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; bloodmeal; antibody; wildlife disease
When a female mosquito bites, it carries away a blood sample containing specific antibodies that can provide a history of the immune responses of its vertebrate host. This research examines the limits and reliability of a technique to detect antibodies in blood-fed mosquitoes in the laboratory. Mosquitoes were fed on blood containing a specific antibody, and then they were assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine the limits of detection of antibody over time, at different temperatures and initial antibody concentrations. The antibody, at an initial concentration of 1 mu g/ml, could be detected in mosquitoes for 24-48 h after feeding. Blind tests simulating the assay of feral mosquitoes were used to test the reliability of the method and detected positive mosquitoes with few false negatives and no false positives. Specific antibodies also could be detected in mosquitoes that had been air-dried or preserved in ethanol. This research indicates that, in theory, the collection and immunological assay of blood-fed mosquitoes could be developed to detect and monitor infectious disease in wildlife.
2.Belton. P. (1986) Sounds of Insects in Flight.Insect Flight: Dispersal and Migration, Springer Verlag pp 60-70 Sounds of Insects in Flight
insect sounds
