Mosquitoes whine to attract mates
MEDWAY, England (UPI) -- Mosquitoes whine to attract a mate of the correct species, said scientists in Britain who study the maddening sound made by the insects. Scientists at the University of Greenwich, Medway, England, found male and female mosquitoes depend on "singing" in harmony to find each other, researcher Gabriella Gibson wrote in a recent issue of the journal Current Biology. The tones are produced, and varied, based on the frequency of their wings beating in flight. Mosquito species have a complex range of genetic diversity that enables them to adapt to myriad habitats, she said. For example, the Anopheles gambiae mosquito in Burkino Faso has seven species and several chromosomal forms, Gibson said. By varying their tones to attract the correct mate, mosquitoes are able to reproductively isolate themselves and maintain their genetic diversity while traveling in swarms that may contain several species, Gibson said. Copyright 2010 by United Press International
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