Lecture 4 Flashcards
What are preconditions an Arthropods does to make the transition from non-blood feeding to blood feeding?
- A close association with vertebrates may predispose arthropods to switch to a blood feeding life style.
- Some insects have mouthparts that are pre-adapted to blood feeding.
Why is a close associations with vertebrates an advantage?
It provides a warm and humid environment & steady source of food; hair, feathers, feces, food left overs and blood from wounds.
Why is having pre-adaptation to piercing tend to have a high proportion to subgroups?
It provides an opportunity to switch food sources.
What are the steps for an arthropod to find a host?
They do Appetitive searching, activation and orientation , then attraction
What are the two forms of Appetitive Searching?
1.Active process where arthropod actively moves around looking for a host. 2. Passive process where insect waits for host to return to nest/burrow
What cues are given for blood feeding to start?
Oder detection in antennae, CO2, and heat.
What CO2 attracts them to host?
Host breath or sweat produce bacteria fauna on skin causing attraction.
What does an insect do when it detects an autocue?
When host odor is detected insect will respond by flying upwind and orientating themselves (go zig zag) to make sure odor concentration continues.
When attraction occurs why do blood feeders target/ prefer large herbivores?
Larger herbivores tend to defend less against bites because they don’t lose much blood compared to smaller host like birds.
What are two considered condition that favors evolution of blood feeding in arthropods?
The presence of piercing mouthparts and living in close association with vertebrates
What stage takes place immediately after detection of Host
Activation and orientation
Name 3 insects that appetitive searching usually is the active process?
Mosquitoes, Tsetse Flies, and black Flies
What process of searching do Lice go though passive or active?
Passive process they wait in the grass for a host to pass by so they can climb on them and feed.
what is the importance of the mouth parts in blood feeders?
They make up this piercing for bosses, and in different ways/different insects. Have a feeding channel & a accelerated channel.
What is the difference between Powel feeders and capillary feeders?
Pool feeders have a cutting and sucking function.
