Floating of the lobes of mosquito (Aedes togoi) larva for respiration

Abstract

Mosquito (Aedes togoi) larva has to float its siphon on the water surface to breathe air. To elucidate the floating mechanism of the siphon, morphological structures, especially the flap-like lobes and spiracle of the siphon, were observed. Wettability and dynamic behavior of the lobes on the water surface were also experimentally examined. The lobes formed a hollow cone shape under water and expanded on the water surface. The spiracle was located at the base of the cone. The lobes exhibited hydrophobic wettability. During floating process, the lobes were spread into a triangular shape in apical view, and the spiracle was exposed to air. When they were submerged in water, the lobes were folded into a cone shape to seal the spiracle and protect it from water penetration. These dynamic processes occurred at the water surface. In this study, the floating mechanism of the lobes for respiration was described based on the cross-sectional morphology of the lobes with the pressure induced by surface tension and the hydrostatic pressure proportional to depth. This study would be helpful in elucidating the behavior of mosquito larvae near the water surface and may facilitate the formulation of methods to control mosquito larvae.