A receptor sensitive to oviposition site attractants on the antennae of the mosquito,Aedes aegypti

The blunt-tipped sensilla trichodea Type II on the antennae of female Aedes aegypti mosquitos has been found to be specific for the perception of chemical substances associated with the location of a suitable oviposition site by gravid female mosquitos. The chemosensory neurons associated with the sensilla respond to substances reported in the literature to be oviposition attractants; this response is characterized by an increase in spike frequency proportional to the intensity of the stimulus. Comparison of neurophysiological data with behavioral results reported in the literature suggests that the two sets of data are correlated.