Chemical ecology of insect vectors: the neglected temporal dimension

CLAUDIO R. LAZZARI, SEBASTIAN A. MINOLI, ROMINA B. BARROZO

TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY

ELSEVIER

Lugar: AMSTERDAM; Año: 2004 vol. 20 p. 506 - 507

1471-4922

Insect chemical ecology is a well-established discipline that studies the nature and function of natural chemicals mediating interactions among organisms. Research in this area has led to the identification of substances used to bait targets and traps, which proved to be effective in the control and monitor of insect pests [1,2]. We want to draw attention here to a frequently disregarded aspect of studies on insect chemical ecology: the temporal component. It is well established that many aspects of insect physiology and behaviour vary in time, synchronized with environmental cycles. Thus, the interpretation of experimental studies can be seriously compromised unless they are repeated at different times of the circadian cycle to determine if the response varies during the day. Indeed, these considerations apply to studies on chemical ecology and insect olfaction in general, regardless of whether the insects are disease vectors or not. The subject becomes particularly relevant for parasitologists with regards to the present efforts devoted to the chemical manipulation of vectors behaviour.