Evolving mosquito Bionomics: Ecological, Behavioural and Genetic Insights in Vector Research towards Malaria Elimination

Malaria vector research is entering a pivotal stage as decades of control progress have begun to plateau and, in some settings, reverse. Across endemic regions, the bionomics of mosquito species—the ecological, behavioural, and genetic characteristics influencing transmission—are shifting rapidly under the combined effects of insecticide-based interventions, environmental transformation, and climate change. Evidence shows that species once dominant are being replaced or complemented by others that bite outdoors, rest in non-traditional habitats, or exhibit greater zoophagy, allowing them to escape the protective coverage of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Studies using advanced genetic and ecological approaches reveal increasing species diversity, cryptic complexes, and patterns of adaptation such as insecticide resistance and altered feeding behaviour. However, most national elimination strategies still rely on assumptions shaped by historical models of indoor, night-biting vectors, leaving a major knowledge gap on secondary, invasive, and adaptive mosquito species. A deeper and more context-specific understanding of these dynamics is urgently needed to sustain progress toward malaria elimination.This Research Topic aims to generate a comprehensive picture of contemporary mosquito bionomics and its implications for malaria elimination strategies. It seeks to explore how ecological, behavioural, and genetic processes are driving vector adaptation and persistence, to identify conditions under which secondary and invasive species sustain residual transmission, and to define how these insights can inform the smart deployment of new and existing tools. The overarching goal is to bridge field entomology, molecular and genomic science, spatial ecology, and implementation research to strengthen surveillance and enable evidence-based decision-making in vector control. Critical questions include how vectors respond to environmental and control pressures, how these responses alter transmission ecology, and how surveillance systems can be adapted to detect and respond to shifts in real time.To gather further insights into the adaptive and operational dimensions of mosquito bionomics across diverse malaria settings, we welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes: o Ecology and behaviour of primary, secondary, and invasive vectors, including larval habitat characterisation, feeding and resting behaviour, and host preference. o Genetics and genomics of vector adaptation, covering population structure, gene flow, insecticide resistance, and emerging traits influencing vectorial capacity. o Links between intervention scale-up and vector adaptation, particularly under LLIN, IRS, or environmental management programmes. o Impacts of urbanisation, land-use, and climate change on the composition and ecology of vector populations. o Methodological and modelling innovations that integrate ecological and genetic data to predict transmission patterns and guide integrated vector management. o Strengthening of surveillance and data systems for early detection of emerging or invasive vector species such as Anopheles stephensi.We welcome original research, systematic reviews, brief research reports, data papers, perspectives, and methods articles. Together, these contributions will provide the bionomic foundation needed to close residual transmission gaps and drive progress toward global malaria elimination. Topic editors: Deodatus Maliti, Lison Laroche, Billy Tene Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81049/evolving-mosquito-bionomics-ecological-behavioural-and-genetic-insights-in-vector-research-towards-malaria-elimination