Thermal Tolerance of Blood-Sucking Arthropods

Dear Colleagues,

Temperature is one of the main factors affecting the life of arthropods. As poikilothermal and ectothermic animals, their physiology, reproduction, development, and survival depend on the adequate management of heat gains and losses. The haematophagous way of life makes the impact of temperature and heat exchanges particularly significant.

On the one hand, as for other animals, environmental temperature is a key factor influencing their ability to occupy particular regions and habitats, as well the possibility of invading new ones. In the present context of rapid climatic change, this can certainly affect the incidence and distribution of vector-borne diseases.

On the other hand, feeding on warm-blooded vertebrate hosts means they are marked by the rapid entry of relatively large amounts of fluid with temperatures higher than that of the arthropod itself into their body, which potentially provokes severe thermal stress.

The different contributions to the Special Issue will cover two main aspects: (1) how environmental temperature affects the biology of blood-sucking arthropods and (2) how they cope with the thermal stress associated to feed on the blood of warm-blooded hosts.

Targeted communities

• Scientists interested in climate change;
• Scientists interested in public health;
• Public and private organizations involved in vector control;
• Insect physiologists and ecologists;
• Vector biologists;
• Ecologists.

Prof. Dr. Claudio Lazzari
Dr. Chloe Lahondere
Guest Editors

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