1.Description of male, pupa and larva of Simulium (Asiosimulium) wanchaii (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand, with keys to identify four species of the subgenus Asiosimulium
Srisuka, W. Takaoka, H., Saeung, A.
Tropical Biomedicine 2015;32(3):504-510
The male, pupa and mature larva of Simulium (Asiosimulium) wanchaii Takaoka
& Choochote, one of the four species of the small Oriental black fly subgenus Asiosimulium,
are described for the first time based on samples collected from Thailand. The male S. (A.)
wanchaii is characterized based on the enlarged hind basitarsus and the ventral plate which
is much wider than long. The pupa and larva are characterized by the gill with 19 filaments
and the deep postgenal cleft, respectively. Keys are provided to identify all the four species
of the subgenus Asiosimulium for females, males, pupae and mature larvae.
2.Cytogenetic, crossing and molecular evidence of two cytological forms of Anopheles argyropus and three cytological forms of Anopheles pursati (Diptera: Culicidae) in Thailand
Thongsahuan, S. ; Otsuka, Y. ; Baimai, V. ; Saeung, A. ; Hempolchom, C. ; Taai, K. ; Srisuka, W. ; Dedkhad, W. ; Sor-suwan, S. ; Choochote, W.
Tropical Biomedicine 2014;31(4):641-653
Nine and 11 isolines of Anopheles argyropus and Anopheles pursati, respectively,
were established from individual females collected from cow-baited traps, and the
characteristics of metaphase chromosomes were investigated in their F1-progenies. As
determined by the different amounts of extra heterochromatin on sex chromosomes, 2 types
of X (X1, X2) and Y (Y1,Y2), and 2 types of X (X1, X2) and 3 types of Y (Y1, Y2, Y3) chromosomes
were obtained from An. argyropus and An. pursati, respectively. These types of sex
chromosomes comprised 2 [Forms A (X1, Y1) and B (X1, X2, Y2)] and 3 [Forms A (X1, X2, Y1), B
(X1, X2, Y2) and C (X2, Y3)] karyotypic forms of An. argyropus and An. pursati, respectively.
All karyotypic forms acquired from An. pursati are new one that were discovered in this
study, of which Forms A, B and C were found generally in Chiang Mai Province, while only 1
isoline of Form B was obtained in Ratchaburi Province. Form A was recovered from An.
argyropus only in Ubon Ratchathani Province, whereas Form B from that species was found
commonly in both Ubon Rathchathani and Nakhon Si Thammarat Provinces. Crossing
experiments among the 2 and 3 isolines representing 2 and 3 karyotypic forms of An. argyropus
and An. pursati, respectively, indicated genetic compatibility in yielding viable progenies
and synaptic salivary gland polytene chromosomes through F2-generations. The conspecific
natures of these karyotypic forms in both species were further supported by very low
intraspecific sequence variations (average genetic distance: An. argyropus = 0.003-0.007,
An. pursati = 0-0.005) of ribosomal DNA (ITS2) and mitochondrial DNA (COI and COII).
3.Description of the female of Simulium chayamaritae (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Thailand
Takaoka, H. ; Srisuka, W. ; Saeung, A.
Tropical Biomedicine 2018;35(4):975-980
Simulium chayamaritae Takaoka & Srisuka from Thailand belongs to the
Simulium darjeelingense species-group of Simulium (Simulium) (Diptera: Simuliidae).
The female of this species is described for the first time based on a female reared from a
pupa collected from Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is characterized by the sensory vesicle
elongate and the inner margins of the arms of the genital fork divergent, then convergent
apically. It is similar to the female of S. eshimai Takaoka & Adler of the same speciesgroup
from Vietnam. Taxonomic notes are given to separate it from two other species of
the S. darjeelingense species-group from India and Malaysia, and 28 of 31 other species of
the subgenus Gomphostilbia recorded from Thailand.
4.A method for distinguishing the important malaria vectors Anopheles dirus and An. cracens (Diptera: Culicidae) based on antennal sensilla of adult females
Taai, K. ; Harbach, R.E. ; Somboon, P. ; Sriwichai, P. ; Aupalee, K. ; Srisuka, W. ; Yasanga, T. ; Phuackchantuck, R. ; Jatuwattana, W. ; Pusawang, K. ; Saeung, A.
Tropical Biomedicine 2019;36(4):926-937
Some species of the Anopheles dirus species complex are considered to be highly
competent malaria vectors in Southeast Asia. Anopheles dirus is the primary vector of
Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax while An. cracens is the main vector of P. knowlesi.
However, these two species are difficult to distinguish and identify based on morphological
characters. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of antennal
sensilla to distinguish them. Large sensilla coeloconica borne on the antennae of adult females
were counted under a compound light microscope and the different types of antennal sensilla
were examined in a scanning electron microscope. The antennae of both species bear five
types of sensilla: ampullacea, basiconica, chaetica, coeloconica and trichodea. Observations
revealed that the mean numbers of large sensilla coeloconica on antennal flagellomeres 2, 3,
7, 10 and 12 on both antennae of both species were significantly different. This study is the
first to describe the types of antennal sensilla and to discover the usefulness of the large
coeloconic sensilla for distinguishing the two species. The discovery provides a simple,
reliable and inexpensive method for distinguishing them.