Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes
To reproduce, most female mosquitoes must ingest blood to obtain nutrients for viable eggs. Global warming is increasing mosquito body temperature and hampering their reproduction. Moreover, because it takes several days to produce eggs and mosquitoes are short-lived, the age of blood feeding determ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1610310/full |
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| author | Lindsay E. Martin Tania Y. Estévez-Lao Tobias C. McCabe Julián F. Hillyer |
| author_facet | Lindsay E. Martin Tania Y. Estévez-Lao Tobias C. McCabe Julián F. Hillyer |
| author_sort | Lindsay E. Martin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To reproduce, most female mosquitoes must ingest blood to obtain nutrients for viable eggs. Global warming is increasing mosquito body temperature and hampering their reproduction. Moreover, because it takes several days to produce eggs and mosquitoes are short-lived, the age of blood feeding determines whether reproduction is feasible. Given that warmer temperature and aging both impair reproduction, we scrutinized whether temperature modifies the aging-based decline in fecundity and fertility. By rearing the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, at three temperatures and offering them a blood meal at four ages, we demonstrate that warmer temperature reduces blood feeding propensity and blood meal mass. Warmer temperature and aging decrease survival, delay oviposition, and reduce oviposition success, fecundity, and fertility. Importantly, warmer temperature quickens the onset of the aging-dependent decline in fecundity and fertility, and at the warmest temperature of 32°C, mosquitoes are infertile. Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence, which has implications for disease transmission in this warming world. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e09070d510174a9baa255087fbe926b5 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-e09070d510174a9baa255087fbe926b52025-07-02T14:23:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2025-07-011610.3389/fphys.2025.16103101610310Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoesLindsay E. MartinTania Y. Estévez-LaoTobias C. McCabeJulián F. HillyerTo reproduce, most female mosquitoes must ingest blood to obtain nutrients for viable eggs. Global warming is increasing mosquito body temperature and hampering their reproduction. Moreover, because it takes several days to produce eggs and mosquitoes are short-lived, the age of blood feeding determines whether reproduction is feasible. Given that warmer temperature and aging both impair reproduction, we scrutinized whether temperature modifies the aging-based decline in fecundity and fertility. By rearing the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, at three temperatures and offering them a blood meal at four ages, we demonstrate that warmer temperature reduces blood feeding propensity and blood meal mass. Warmer temperature and aging decrease survival, delay oviposition, and reduce oviposition success, fecundity, and fertility. Importantly, warmer temperature quickens the onset of the aging-dependent decline in fecundity and fertility, and at the warmest temperature of 32°C, mosquitoes are infertile. Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence, which has implications for disease transmission in this warming world.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1610310/fullmosquitoreproductionblood feedingsenescencetemperatureaging |
| spellingShingle | Lindsay E. Martin Tania Y. Estévez-Lao Tobias C. McCabe Julián F. Hillyer Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes Frontiers in Physiology mosquito reproduction blood feeding senescence temperature aging |
| title | Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes |
| title_full | Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes |
| title_fullStr | Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes |
| title_short | Warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes |
| title_sort | warmer temperature accelerates reproductive senescence in mosquitoes |
| topic | mosquito reproduction blood feeding senescence temperature aging |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1610310/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lindsayemartin warmertemperatureacceleratesreproductivesenescenceinmosquitoes AT taniayestevezlao warmertemperatureacceleratesreproductivesenescenceinmosquitoes AT tobiascmccabe warmertemperatureacceleratesreproductivesenescenceinmosquitoes AT julianfhillyer warmertemperatureacceleratesreproductivesenescenceinmosquitoes |