Intraspecific variation in odor-mediated host preference of the mosquito Culex annulirostris

The preference of two allopatric populations of Culex annulirostris mosquitoes in South Australia (SA) for guinea pigs and chickens was investigated using host-baited traps in the field and in a flight tunnel for laboratory assays. Mosquitoes from the Riverland of SA preferred guinea pigs, those from northeast SA preferred chickens. In the field, 2184 Cx. annulirostris were captured during four experiments in each region. The proportion choosing chicken was 0.5393 in northeast SA and 0.4348 in the Riverland. In the laboratory, replicate trials utilizing 15 mosquitoes at a time yielded results concordant with field assays. This study demonstrates variation in Cx. annulirostris host preference throughout this species geographic range. Semiochemical analysis of the two host species was performed on solvent extractions and volatile trapping samples from fur and feathers, respectively. This revealed differences that are likely to be the basis for host discrimination by Cx. annulirostris.