Self-grooming behavior of Aedes aegypti exposed to Metarhizium humberi formulation
Data files
Oct 15, 2025 version files 91.43 KB
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Fig_1_C_MCW.csv
3.73 KB
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Fig_1_C.csv
4.10 KB
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Fig_1_MCW.csv
3.67 KB
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Fig_2_C_MCW.csv
3.08 KB
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Fig_2_C.csv
3.07 KB
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Fig_2_MCW.csv
3.07 KB
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Fig_3_C_MCW.csv
9.96 KB
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Fig_3_C.csv
9.96 KB
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Fig_3_CW.csv
9.98 KB
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Fig_4_C_MCW.csv
19.97 KB
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Fig_4_C.csv
18.08 KB
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README.md
2.76 KB
Abstract
Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera, Culicidae), the key vector of viral diseases to humans in the tropics, is susceptible to infection with entomopathogenic fungi. Self-grooming behavior, which has still been little studied in mosquitoes, may possibly interfere with fungal infection through the cuticle. In this study, self-grooming by A. aegypti adults exposed to Metarhizium humberi Luz, Rocha & Delalibera 2019 (Hypocreales, Clavicipitaceae) conidia mixed or not with micronized carnauba wax (MCW) led to a decrease of non-germinated conidia and early germinating stages from their body surface up to 24 hours after exposure to a fungus-treated surface. Adults showed a low-level, spontaneous, and stimulus-independent self-grooming behavior that was distinctly increased after exposure to conidia mixed or not with MCW or solely to MCW. The first pair of legs scraped synchronously the proboscis, antennae, and wings; legs of the third pair scraped each other as well as synchronously the first and second pairs of legs, and the gonapophyses. Conidia, mixed or not with MCW, or MCW were readily detected on tarsi, tibias, and femurs, especially of the first and second leg pairs, gonapophyses, proboscis, antennae, and wings, immediately after exposure. In mobile adults, mean conidial numbers dropped approximately fivefold in the 24 hours immediately following exposure, especially in the first 6 hours, regardless of the conidial preparation, and then, to a lesser extent, in the remaining 18 hours. Conidial loss was distinctly lower or insignificant in cold-immobilized individuals in the same period. MCW did not increase the number of conidia on the cuticle or enhance their permanence on the cuticle during the tested period. These findings strengthen the importance of considering self-grooming of mosquitoes in particular A. aegypti, the vector examined here, when developing specific fungal formulations for biological control.
We have submitted 11 comma-separated value (CSV) data files documenting behavioral observations, fungal localization, and surface contamination related to self-grooming activity in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) adults exposed to Metarhizium humberi (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) conidia, micronized carnauba wax (MCW), or their combination.
The data capture the influence of fungal and wax treatments on grooming frequency, body-surface contamination, and conidial persistence over time. Each dataset corresponds to one experimental figure (Fig. 1–4) from the associated publication, subdivided by treatment type: C (conidia only), C+MCW (conidia + micronized carnauba wax), and MCW (micronized carnauba wax only).
Descriptions
Fig_1_C.csv, Fig_1_C_MCW.csv, Fig_1_MCW.csv
These files contain behavioral observation data for Aedes aegypti adults following exposure to fungus-treated or wax-treated surfaces corresponding to Figure 1 of the associated study. Data describes the frequency of flying, walking, and scraping movements observed for 60 minutes post-exposure.
Body-part abbreviations:
- Le1: forelegs
- Le2: middle legs
- Le3: hind legs
- Go: gonapophyses
- Wi: wings
- An: antennae (scraping structures)
- Pr: proboscis
- He: head
- Th: thorax
- Ab: abdomen
Fig_2_C.csv, Fig_2_C_MCW.csv, Fig_2_MCW.csv
These datasets correspond to Figure 2, which documents the frequency of scraping movements between specific body parts (*)
Fig_3_C.csv, Fig_3_C_MCW.csv, Fig_3_CW.csv
These datasets correspond to Figure 3, which reports the localization of condidia in adults of Aedes aegypti examined immediately (0 h) and then 24 h (semiquantitative presence of conidia) with a microscope.
- Scraping frequency score: -: none; ±: few; +: clearly visible; ++: abundant.
Fig_4_C.csv, Fig_4_C_MCW.csv
Files corresponding to Figure 4 report the number of M. humberi conidia on the mosquito body surface at multiple time points after exposure. The number of colony-forming units (CFUs) was also quantified.
Key Information Sources
All data were collected through direct laboratory observation of adult Aedes aegypti under controlled exposure to M. humberi conidia, MCW, or both. No external datasets were used.
Code/Software
No custom code was required to process these datasets.
All files are provided as comma-separated values (.csv) and can be opened using:
- Microsoft Excel (2010 or later)
- LibreOffice Calc (7.0 or later)
- R, Python, or similar analytical software supporting .csv imports