Ecology of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in streams of northern and southern Thailand: Factors associated with larval and pupal distributions.

The ecology of black flies in Thailand was investigated, based on 19,451 larvae and pupae collected from 65 stream sites in 10 northern provinces during the rainy, cool, and hot seasons, and 1,906 larvae and pupae collected from 18 sites in 9 southern provinces during the cool season. Twenty-seven black fly species were identified from northern Thailand, of which 26 were found in the cool season, when richness was greatest. Significant regressions between species richness and elevation fit a unimodal model in the rainy season but a linear model in the cool and hot seasons.

Integrated cytogenetic, ecological, and DNA barcode study reveals cryptic diversity in Simulium (Gomphostilbia) angulistylum (Diptera: Simuliidae).

An integrated approach based on cytogenetics, molecular genetics, and ecology was used to examine diversity in the black fly Simulium angulistylum Takaoka & Davies in Thailand. Cytological analysis revealed three cytoforms (A, B, and C) of S. angulistylum differentiated by fixed chromosome inversions.

Phylogenetic relationships among the black fly species (Diptera: Simuliidae) of Thailand based on multiple gene sequences.

Simulium is a very speciose genus of the black fly family Simuliidae that includes many important pests of humans and animals. Cytotaxonomic and morphological studies have made substantial progress in Simulium systematics. 16S rRNA and ITS-1 DNA sequence studies have assisted this progress.

Cytotaxonomy of Simulium siamense Takaoka and Suzuki (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Thailand.

Larval polytene chromosomes of 1824 individuals of Simulium siamense Takaoka and Suzuki from 32 locations in northern, northeastern, eastern, and central Thailand were examined. Differences in sex chromosomes, fixed inversions, and the kind and frequency of floating inversions revealed five cytoforms (A, B, C, D, and E). In contrast to most Simulium species, females of S.

Molecular phylogeny of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand, using ITS2 rDNA.

The sequences of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) were determined for 40 black fly species from Thailand, belonging to 4 subgenera of the genus Simulium, namely Gomphostilbia (12 species), Nevermannia (5 species), Montisimulium (1 species), Simulium sensu stricto (21 species), and an unknown subgenus with one species (Simulium baimaii). The length of the ITS2 ranged from 247 to 308 bp. All black fly species had high AT content, ranging from 71 to 83.

Phylogeography of the black fly Simulium tani (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand as inferred from mtDNA sequences.

Intraspecific phylogeography has been used widely as a tool to infer population history. However, little attention has been paid to Southeast Asia despite its importance in terms of biodiversity. Here we used the cytochrome oxidase I gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) for a phylogeographic study of 147 individuals of the black fly Simulium tani from Thailand.

Larval polytene chromosomes of black flies (Simulium) from Thailand. I. Comparison among five species in the subgenus Gomphostilbia enderlein.

Larval polytene chromosome maps of Simulium (G.) asakoae and S. (G.