Accumulating behavioural data indicate that aggregation pheromones may mediate the formation and maintenance of mosquito swarms. However, chemical cues possibly luring mosquitoes to swarms have not been adequately investigated, and the likely molecular incitants of these complex reproductive behaviours remain unknown. Here we show that males of the important malaria vector species Anopheles arabiensis and An. gambiae produce and release aggregation pheromones that attract individuals to the swarm and enhance mating success. We found that males of both species released significantly higher amounts of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (acetoin), 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (sulcatone), octanal, nonanal and decanal during swarming in the laboratory. Feeding males with stable-isotope-labelled glucose revealed that the males produced these five compounds. A blend composed of synthetic analogues to these swarming odours proved highly attractive to virgin males and females of both species under laboratory conditions and substantially increased mating in five African malaria vectors (An. gambiae, An. coluzzii, An. arabiensis, An. merus and An. funestus) in semi-field experiments. Our results not only narrow a conspicuous gap in understanding a vital aspect of the chemical ecology of male mosquitoes but also demonstrate fundamental roles of rhythmic and metabolic genes in the physiology and behavioural regulation of these vectors. These identified aggregation pheromones have great potential for exploitation against these highly dangerous insects. Manipulating such pheromones could increase the efficacy of malaria-vector control programmes.

越来越多的行为数据表明，聚集信息素可能介导蚊子群的形成和维持。但是，尚未充分研究可能诱使蚊子成群的化学线索，而这些复杂生殖行为的可能分子诱因仍然未知。在这里，我们显示了重要的疟疾媒介种阿拉伯按蚊和按蚊的雄性。冈比亚产生并释放聚集信息素，将信息素吸引到群中并增强交配成功。我们发现，在实验室中蜂拥而至时，这两种物种的雄性均释放了大量的3-羟基-2-丁酮（丙酮），6-甲基-5-庚-2-酮（舒卡酮），六烷，壬二醛和癸醛。用稳定同位素标记的葡萄糖饲喂雄性，发现雄性产生了这五种化合物。合成类似物组成的这些蜂拥气味的共混物被证明处女男性和实验室条件下这两个物种的女性和五个非洲疟疾载体（显着增加的配合高度吸引力的冈比亚按蚊， 一种。coluzzii ， 一种。阿拉伯按蚊， 一种。merus和羊角线虫）进行半场实验。我们的结果不仅缩小了对雄性蚊子化学生态学至关重要方面的认识上的明显差距，而且还证明了节律和代谢基因在这些载体的生理和行为调控中的基本作用。这些确定的聚集信息素具有巨大的开发潜力，可以对付这些高度危险的昆虫。操纵这种信息素可以提高疟疾媒介控制程序的功效。