KOMPAS.com — Tidak hanya nyamuk, laba-laba jenis tertentu ternyata menyukai bau manusia. Pada sebuah penelitian yang dilakukan di Kenya, bau kaus kaki manusia yang sudah dipakai selama beberapa jam ternyata menarik bukan hanya bagi nyamuk, tetapi juga laba-laba.
Ahli biologi laba-laba, Fiona Crossat dari University of Canterbury, Selandia Baru, melakukan eksperimen di sebuah laboratorium di Kenya untuk menguji hipotesisnya tersebut. Ia menggunakan satu kaus kaki bersih dan satu kaus kaki yang sudah dipakai selama 12 jam.
Ternyata dari 109 laba-laba pelompat spesies Evarcha culicivora yang mereka uji, jantan dan betina, tua dan muda, semuanya tertarik pada ruang dengan kaus kaki yang sudah bau. Ia menyimpulkan, laba-laba tertarik pada bau manusia karena biasanya di lokasi itu terdapat banyak nyamuk yang menjadi mangsanya. Evarcha culicivora merupakan satu-satunya predator yang secara khusus memangsa nyamuk pengisap darah.
Riset terdahulu menemukan bahwa nyamuk Anopheles gambiae, penyebar parasit malaria, sangat tertarik pada bau manusia. Di sisi lain, para ilmuwan juga menemukan spesies laba-laba pelompat Evarcha culicivora yang menjadikan nyamuk Anopheles sebagai mangsa utamanya.
"Temuan laba-laba yang menyukai bau manusia belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya dan bisa membuka jalan baru untuk mengendalikan populasi nyamuk malaria," ujar Cross, seperti dikutip Live Science.
Meski serangga ini bukan kunci utama pemberantasan malaria, Cross melihatnya dengan optimistis sebagai salah satu kepingan teka-teki malaria yang bisa dimanfaatkan pada masa depan dan tersedia gratis di alam. (National Geographic Indonesia/Agung Dwi Cahyadi)
The spider is also interested in Human Odor
KOMPAS.com - Not only are mosquitoes, spiders certain kind turns out like the smell of humans. In a study conducted in Kenya, the smell of human socks that have been used for several hours was interesting not only for mosquitoes, but also spiders.
Biologists spiders, Fiona Crossat from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, conducted experiments in a laboratory in Kenya to test these hypotheses. He used a clean sock and one sock that has been used for 12 hours.
It turned out that of 109 species of jumping spider Evarcha culicivora they tested, male and female, young and old, are all interested in space with an already smelly socks. He concluded, spiders attracted to human scent because it is usually at the site there are a lot of mosquitoes that become prey. Evarcha culicivora is the only predators who specifically prey on the blood-sucking mosquitoes.
Previous research found that the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, the malaria parasite spreading, very interested in the human smell. On the other hand, the scientists also found a species of jumping spider that makes Evarcha culicivora Anopheles mosquito as its main prey.
"The findings of the spider that likes the smell of human unprecedented and could open new avenues for controlling malaria mosquito population," said Cross, told Live Science.
Although this insect is not the main key to eradicate malaria, Cross view with optimism as one of the pieces of the puzzle of malaria that can be utilized in the future and is available free in nature. (National Geographic Indonesia / Agung Dwi Cahyadi)
"The findings of the spider that likes the smell of human unprecedented and could open new avenues for controlling malaria mosquito population," said Cross, told Live Science.
Although this insect is not the main key to eradicate malaria, Cross view with optimism as one of the pieces of the puzzle of malaria that can be utilized in the future and is available free in nature. (National Geographic Indonesia / Agung Dwi Cahyadi)