Reliability of wing morphometrics for species identification of human-biting black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Thailand.

Background: Fast and reliable species identification of black flies is essential for research proposes and effective vector control. Besides traditional identification based on morphology, which is usually supplemented with molecular methods, geometric morphometrics (GM) has emerged as a promising tool for identification. Despite its potential, no specific GM techniques have been established for the identification of black fly species.

Biodiversity and Spatiotemporal Variations of Mecoptera in Thailand: Influences of Elevation and Climatic Factors.

Ecological analyses of the small and lesser-known insect order Mecoptera in Thailand are presented. Specimens were collected monthly over a period of 12 consecutive months, using both Malaise and pan traps, from 29 sampling sites located in 18 national parks throughout Thailand. A total of 21 species in four genera were identified from 797 specimens, including (1 species), (18 species), (1 species), and (1 species), with the latter genus representing a new genus record to Thailand.

A new species of Simulium (Asiosimulium) (Diptera: Simuliidae) from northeastern Thailand, with its phylogenetic relationships with related species in the subgenus Asiosimulium.

Simulium (Asiosimulium) khongchiamense sp. nov. is described based on females, males, pupae, and mature larvae collected from Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand.

Antennal morphology and sensilla ultrastructure of the malaria vectors, Anopheles maculatus and An. sawadwongporni (Diptera: Culicidae).

Mosquitoes rely mainly on the olfactory system to track hosts. Sensilla contain olfactory neuron receptors that perceive different kinds of odorants and transfer crucial information regarding the surrounding environment. Anopheles maculatus and An.

Bacterial community structure of Anopheles hyrcanus group, Anopheles nivipes, Anopheles philippinensis, and Anopheles vagus from a malaria-endemic area in Thailand.

Bacterial content of mosquitoes has given rise to the development of innovative tools that influence and seek to control malaria transmission. This study identified the bacterial microbiota in field-collected female adults of the Anopheles hyrcanus group and three Anopheles species, Anopheles nivipes, Anopheles philippinensis, and Anopheles vagus, from an endemic area in the southeastern part of Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand, near the Lao PDR-Cambodia-Thailand border. A total of 17 DNA libraries were generated from pooled female Anopheles abdomen samples (10 abdomens/ sample).

Simulium (Gomphostilbia) wijiti, a new species of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from northern Thailand and its genetic position with related species in the Simulium ceylonicum species-group.

A new black fly species, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) wijiti, is described based on adult females, males, pupal exuviae and mature larvae from Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. This new species is placed in the Simulium ceylonicum species-group. It is distinguished from four Thai members of the S.

Discovery of a new black fly species in the Simulium (Simulium) striatum species-group (Diptera: Simuliidae) from northeastern Thailand and its phylogenetic relationships with seven Thai related species.

The female, male, pupa and mature larva of Simulium (Simulium) poolpholi sp. nov. collected from a large and seasonal stream in northeastern Thailand are described.

Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Diversity and Community Structure in Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand.

Urbanization and human activities create new suitable aquatic habitats for the immature stages of mosquitoes in many countries. This also applies to Doi Inthanon National Park in northern Thailand, which is named for the highest mountain in the country. Despite its popularity, there is no information regarding mosquito diversity and community structure in the different ecosystems of the park.

Ultrastructure of sensilla on the antennae and maxillary palpi of the human-biting black flies, Simulium nigrogilvum and Simulium umphangense, (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Thailand.

Antennae and maxillary palpi are the most important sensory organs involved in the behaviors of black flies. The ultrastructure of sensilla on these sensory appendages of two human-biting black fly species, Similium nigrogilvum and Simulium umphangense, was studied for the first time. Wild adult females of both species were collected in Umphang District, Tak Province, western Thailand.

A new species of the Simulium (Simulium) striatum species-group (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand: Description and phylogenetic relationship with its Thai members.

Simulium (Simulium) thilorsuense sp. nov. is described from females, males, pupae and mature larvae in Thailand.

A new species of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) (Diptera, Simuliidae) from Thailand, with a key to identify females of 14 species of the species-group.

Simulium (Gomphostilbia) khelangense is described on the basis of females, collected by a sweeping net in Lampang, Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai Provinces, Thailand. This new species is placed in the subgroup of the species-group in the subgenus Gomphostilbia Enderlein by having the antenna with eight flagellomeres, pleural membrane bare, and female subcosta lacking hairs. It is similar to Pramual & Tangkawanit from Thailand in the same subgroup but is barely distinguished from the latter species by the head width relative to the greatest width of the frons and length of the labrum relative to the clypeus.

Morphological description and phylogenetic position of a new cryptic species in the Simulium asakoae species-group, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) mokroense, from Western Thailand.

Adult females and males reared from pupae of Simulium sp. from Tak Province and those of S. chiangdaoense Takaoka & Srisuka from four localities in Chiang Mai and Lampang Provinces, northern Thailand, were molecularly and morphologically compared.

New Insights into Antimalarial Chemopreventive Activity of Antifolates.

Antifolates targeting dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) are antimalarial compounds that have long been used for malaria treatment and chemoprevention (inhibition of infection from mosquitoes to humans). Despite their extensive applications, a thorough understanding of antifolate activity against hepatic malaria parasites, especially resistant parasites, has yet to be achieved. Using a transgenic Plasmodium berghei harboring quadruple mutant from Plasmodium falciparum (::-4M), we demonstrated that quadruple mutations on confer complete chemoprevention resistance to pyrimethamine, the previous generation of antifolate, but not to a new class of antifolate designed to overcome the resistance, such as P218.

Diversity of nematodes infecting the human-biting black fly species, Simulium nigrogilvum (Diptera: Simuliidae) in central Thailand.

Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are known as vectors of disease agents in humans and livestock, with some species being vectors of Onchocerca volvulus, the filarial nematode that is the causative agent of human onchocerciasis. Nematode infections in adult female black flies have been reported from some areas in northern and western Thailand, but not from other regions of Thailand. In this study, wild-caught adult female black flies from the central region of Thailand were examined for infections with nematodes.

Community Structure, Biodiversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of the Black Flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) Using Malaise Traps on the Highest Mountain in Thailand.

Black flies form a group of small blood-sucking insects of medical and veterinary importance. This study aimed to investigate the community structure, biodiversity and spatial and temporal distribution of adult black flies in tropical rain forests, by using malaise traps in Doi Inthanon National Park, northern Thailand. Malaise traps were placed along six elevational gradients (400 m to 2500 m, above sea level) at Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai province, from December 2013 to November 2014.

A new species of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Northern Thailand, with its genetic relationship in the S. asakoae species-group.

A new black fly species, Simulium (Gomphostilbia) kiewlomense, is described from females, males, pupae and mature larvae in Thailand. This new species is placed in the S. asakoae species-group and is characterized by having a combination of the elongate female sensory vesicle, widened male hind basitarsus, which is much wider than the hind femur, small pupal terminal hooks, and light greenish larval abdominal segments 1-3.

Serratia marcescens secretes proteases and chitinases with larvicidal activity against Anopheles dirus.

Vector control, the most efficient tool to reduce mosquito-borne disease transmission, has been compromised by the rise of insecticide resistance. Recent studies suggest the potential of mosquito-associated microbiota as a source for new biocontrol agents or new insecticidal chemotypes. In this study, we identified a strain of Serratia marcescens that has larvicidal activity against Anopheles dirus, an important malaria vector in Southeast Asia.

Three new species of the Simulium (Simulium) striatum species-group (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand, with their phylogenetic relationships.

Three new species of black flies from Thailand, Simulium wangkwaiense, S. tadtonense and S. maeklongkeense, are described based on their adults, pupal exuviae and cocoons.

Seasonal Filarial Infections and Their Black Fly Vectors in Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand.

The transmission of zoonotic filarial parasites by black flies has so far been reported in the Chiang Mai and Tak provinces, Thailand, and the bites of these infected black flies can cause a rare disease-human zoonotic onchocerciasis. However, species identification of the filarial parasites and their black fly vectors in the Chiang Mai province were previously only based on a morphotaxonomic analysis. In this study, a combined approach of morphotaxonomic and molecular analyses (mitochondrial , 12S rRNA, and nuclear 18S rRNA ( HVR-I) genes) was used to clarify the natural filarial infections in female black flies collected by using human and swine baits from two study areas (Ban Lek and Ban Pang Dang) in the Chiang Mai province from March 2018 to January 2019.

Genomic studies on Strongyloides stercoralis in northern and western Thailand.

Background: Strongyloidiasis is a soil borne helminthiasis, which in most cases is caused by Strongyloides stercoralis. Human infections with S. fuelleborni fuelleborni and S.

Systematic studies of Anopheles (Cellia) kochi (Diptera: Culicidae): Morphology, cytogenetics, cross-mating experiments, molecular evidence and susceptibility level to infection with nocturnally subperiodic Brugia malayi.

Anopheles kochi Dӧnitz (Diptera: Culicidae) is a malaria vector in some countries in South and Southeast Asia. This is the first report to provide clear evidence that two different cytological forms of An. kochi are conspecific based on systematic studies.

Natural Plasmodium vivax infections in Anopheles mosquitoes in a malaria endemic area of northeastern Thailand.

There was recently an outbreak of malaria in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. In the absence of information on malaria vector transmission dynamics, this study aimed to identify the anopheline vectors and their role in malaria transmission. Adult female Anopheles mosquitoes were collected monthly by human-landing catch in Na Chaluai District of Ubon Ratchathani Province during January 2014-December 2015.

An effective method for the identification and separation of Anopheles minimus, the primary malaria vector in Thailand, and its sister species Anopheles harrisoni, with a comparison of their mating behaviors.

Background: Species of the Anopheles minimus complex are considered to be the primary vectors of malaria in South and Southeast Asia. Two species of the complex, Anopheles minimus and Anopheles harrisoni, occur in Thailand. They are sympatric and difficult to accurately distinguish based on morphological characters.