Spatial and temporal characteristics of laboratory induced Anopheles coluzzii swarms: Shape, structure, and flight kinematics

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Résumé

Malaria mosquitoes mate in swarms, but how these swarms are formed and maintained remains poorly
understood. We characterized three-dimensional spatiotemporal flight kinematics of Anopheles coluzzii
males swarming at sunset above a ground marker. The location, shape, and volume of swarms were highly
stereotypic, consistent over the complete swarming duration. Swarms have an elliptical cone shape; mean
flight kinematics varies spatially within the swarm, but remain rather consistent throughout swarming
duration. Using a sensory system-informed model, we show that swarming mosquitoes use visual perception of both the ground marker and sunset horizon to display the swarming behavior. To control their
height, swarming individuals maintain an optical angle of the marker ranging from 24
to 55
. Limiting
the viewing angle deviation to 4.5% of the maximum value results in the observed elliptical cone swarm
shape. We discuss the implications of these finding on malaria mosquito mating success, speciation and for
vector control.

Mots-clés

Three-dimensional kinematics, spatial, temporal, shape, flight, Anophles swarms