Black fly diversity and molecular detection of blood parasites in Simulium khelangense (Diptera, Simuliidae) from Laos.

Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are significant pests and vectors transmitting pathogens to humans and other animals. However, knowledge of species diversity as well as their role as pests and vectors in Laos is limited, despite the country having abundant suitable lotic habitats, that is, running water. In this study, we collected wild adult black fly specimens from Laos.

Diversity and prevalence of Leucocytozoon in black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) of Thailand.

Background: Leucocytozoonosis, a parasitic disease of birds, is caused by haemosporidian protozoan parasites of the genus Leucocytozoon, which infect diverse avian species, including poultry. These parasites are transmitted by several black fly species, but knowledge of the factors determining the diversity and prevalence in these vectors, which is crucial for fully understanding disease epidemiology, is largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated factors associated with the prevalence and diversity of Leucocytozoon species in black flies from Thailand.

Discovery of the Larvae and Pupae of the Black Fly () and Breeding Habitats of Potential Pest Species of the . (.) Subgroup (Simuliidae).

Two species of black flies (Simuliidae) in Thailand, Takaoka and Kuvangkadilok, 2000, and Takaoka, Srisuka & Saeung, 2022, are potent vectors of avian blood protozoa of the genera and and are pests of domestic avian species. Although the adults are abundant throughout Thailand, information on their breeding habitats is limited, and the immature stages of are unknown. We collected the larvae and pupae of from the Mekong River, the first-ever record of Simuliidae from this large continental river.

Diversity, Distribution and Host Blood Meal Analysis of Adult Black Flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand.

Understanding the factors associated with the species diversity and distribution of insect vectors is critically important for disease epidemiology. Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are significant hematophagous insects, as many species are pests and vectors that transmit pathogens to humans and other animals. Ecological factors associated with black fly species distribution have been extensively examined for the immature stages but are far less well explored for the adult stage.