Mosquitoes Cool Down During Blood-feeding to Avoid Overheating (IMAGE)

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Mosquitoes Cool Down During Blood-feeding to Avoid Overheating

Caption

The mosquito performs evaporative cooling. The retention of the fluid drop attached to the abdomen end leads to a fall of the abdomen temperature causing a clear temperature gradient along the mosquito body. N.B., the color of the droplet does not reflect the real temperature, because of the difference in the emissivity between the cuticle of the mosquito and the drop surface

Credit

Lahondère et al. Current Biology

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Under Embargo until Dec 15th 2011 until 12 Noon ET.

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