Didilia sp. Infecting Phlebotomus stantoni in Thailand

Nematode infection in wild caught Phlebotomine sand flies was investigated in Thailand. Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to detect and morphologically characterize entomopathogenic nematodes that presented in the sand flies. Didilia sp. nematodes were found for the first time in the body cavity of wild caught male Phlebotomus stantoni sand flies. The Didilia sp. was identified based on the morphology of the adult nematodes, from their stylet and teeth at the anterior tip, body length, and egg shell sculpture. It was noted that every infected male sand fly had unrotated genitalia, which would not allow them to mate, thus leading to the loss of their offspring. This finding provided information that might lead to study on whether or not the Didilia sp. has the potential to control sand fly population

Species composition and population dynamics of phlebotomine sand flies in a Leishmania infected area of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Phlebotomine sand flies are established vectors of leishmaniasis in humans. In Thailand, Leishmania martiniquensis and “Leishmania siamensis” have been described as causative agents of leishmaniasis. In this study, a survey of sand flies in the Leishmania infected area of Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai, Thailand was performed using CDC light traps for eight consecutive months, from January to August 2016. A total of 661 sand flies were collected, and of 280 female sand flies, four species of the genus Sergentomyia including Sergentomyia gemmea, S. barraudi, S. indica, and S. hivernus and one species of the genus Phlebotomus, Phlebotomus stantoni, were identified. S. gemmea and S. hivernus were found in Chiang Mai for the first time. The density of captured female sand flies was high in warm and humid periods from June to August, with temperatures of around 26°C and relative humidity about 74%. In addition, S. gemmea was the most predominant species in the area. Further studies as to whether or not these sand fly species could be a vector of Leishmaniasis in Thailand are required

Fig. 2 in A new species of the praying mantis genus Euchomenella Giglio-Tos, 1916 (Mantodea: Deroplatyidae) from Thailand

Fig. 2. Euchomenella kasetsart sp. n., male genitalia and terminalia, dorsal view. A – leftPublished as part of Unnahachote, T., Samung, Y. & Jaitrong, W., 2020, A new species of the praying mantis genus Euchomenella Giglio-Tos, 1916 (Mantodea: Deroplatyidae) from Thailand, pp. 18-28 in Far Eastern Entomologist 419 on page 22, DOI: 10.25221/fee.419.3, http://zenodo.org/record/716625

Fig. 6 in A new species of the praying mantis genus Euchomenella Giglio-Tos, 1916 (Mantodea: Deroplatyidae) from Thailand

Fig. 6. Live specimens of Euchomenella kasetsart sp. n., paratype female (RBINS, IG:34.123).Published as part of Unnahachote, T., Samung, Y. & Jaitrong, W., 2020, A new species of the praying mantis genus Euchomenella Giglio-Tos, 1916 (Mantodea: Deroplatyidae) from Thailand, pp. 18-28 in Far Eastern Entomologist 419 on page 25, DOI: 10.25221/fee.419.3, http://zenodo.org/record/716625

Fig. 7 in A new species of the praying mantis genus Euchomenella Giglio-Tos, 1916 (Mantodea: Deroplatyidae) from Thailand

Fig. 7. Distribution of Euchomenella spp. in Thailand. ■ – E. kasetsart sp. n.; ● – E.Published as part of Unnahachote, T., Samung, Y. & Jaitrong, W., 2020, A new species of the praying mantis genus Euchomenella Giglio-Tos, 1916 (Mantodea: Deroplatyidae) from Thailand, pp. 18-28 in Far Eastern Entomologist 419 on page 26, DOI: 10.25221/fee.419.3, http://zenodo.org/record/716625

Fig. 1 in A new species of the ant genus Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Thailand

Fig. 1. Myrmecina raviwonghei, sp. n., holotype worker (THNHM-I-05470), body inPublished as part of Jaitrong, W., Samung, Y., Waengsothorn, S. & Okido, H., 2019, A new species of the ant genus Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Thailand, pp. 1-7 in Far Eastern Entomologist 383 on page 4, DOI: 10.25221/fee.383.1, http://zenodo.org/record/716489

Figs 2–5 in A new species of the ant genus Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Thailand

Figs 2–5. Myrmecina raviwonghei, sp. n., holotype worker (THNHM-I-05470). 2 – headPublished as part of Jaitrong, W., Samung, Y., Waengsothorn, S. & Okido, H., 2019, A new species of the ant genus Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Thailand, pp. 1-7 in Far Eastern Entomologist 383 on page 5, DOI: 10.25221/fee.383.1, http://zenodo.org/record/716489

A new species of the ant genus Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Thailand

Jaitrong, W., Samung, Y., Waengsothorn, S., Okido, H. (2019): A new species of the ant genus Myrmecina Curtis, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Myrmicinae) from Thailand. Far Eastern Entomologist 383: 1-7, DOI: 10.25221/fee.383.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.25221/fee.383.

Thanaka (Limonia acidissima) and deet (di-methyl benzamide) mixture as a mosquito repellent for use by Karen women.

The prevention and treatment of drug-resistant malaria is becoming increasingly difficult. On the Thai-Myanmar border multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria are increasing and, because the malaria vector Anopheles bite outdoors during early evening, insecticide house-spraying or impregnated bednets provide only limited protection. Therefore, the protective efficacy of repellent formulations containing di-methyl benzamide (deet) and permethrin against local vectors was estimated, when applied to the skin, and their acceptability amongst pregnant Karen women who are at relatively high risk from malaria was assessed. Human landing catches of mosquitoes showed that almost complete protection was achieved using different formulations of 20% deet and 0.5% permethrin for up to 6 h. All-night collections from human subjects indicated that this repellent combination reduced exposure to malaria parasites by at least 65 and 85% for those transmitted by Anopheles minimus and An. maculatus, respectively, the two principal vectors in this area. Pregnant women in the camps preferred repellents which were mixed with 'thanaka', a root paste made from pulp of the wood apple tree, Limonia acidissima, used locally as a cosmetic. Apart from a temporary warming sensation where repellent thanaka was applied to the skin, the repellents were well tolerated. An intervention trial is currently in progress to determine whether deet mixed with thanaka can protect pregnant women against malaria in this part of the world. Bioassays using a laboratory strain of Aedes aegypti demonstrated that thanaka is itself slightly repellent at high dosages and the mixture with deet provides protection for over 10 h. This treatment would therefore also provide some personal protection against dengue, which is increasing locally, transmitted by Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus biting during the daytime

Geometric morphometrics approach towards discrimination of three member species of Maculatus group in Thailand

Members of the Maculatus group are important malaria vectors in the border regions of Thailand. However, the role of each species in malaria transmission remains unclear because of their highly similar morphologies, making them difficult to be differentiated. Whereas An. pseudowillmori may be identified by the color pattern of some scales on abdomen and wings, the distinction between An. maculatus and An. sawadwongporni relies on the wings only. Scales are labile structures, as they may be accidentally removed during capture and transportation to the laboratory. To discriminate among the species of this group, we tested the suitability of geometric techniques. Shape variables were used as input for discriminant analyses and validated reclassification. Both landmark- and outline-based geometric techniques disclosed significant differences between the three species. For the delicate An. maculatus - An. sawadwongporni distinction, the outline-based approach appeared as the most promising, with validated reclassification scores reaching 93%, as compared to 77% obtained by landmark data. For An. pseudowillmori, reclassification scores were 100% and 94%, respectively. Geometric morphometrics may provide an alternative and useful complement for discriminating members of the Maculatus group