Suchada Sumruayphol

• Ph.D.
• Professor (Associate) at Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Bangkok, Mahidol University

Chaiphongpachara T, Sumruayphol S, Laojun S. 2025. Seasonal influence on wing phenotypic plasticity in Mansonia indiana (Diptera: Culicidae) along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Biodiversitas 26: 2253-2260. Mansonia indiana (Diptera: Culicidae) is a vector of the nematode Brugia malayi that causes lymphatic filariasis in Southeast Asia. Thus, this st...

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant public health challenge globally. Our study focused on the seasonal diversity of mosquito species in the connecting areas of the Tenasserim (also known as Tanaosri) range forests in Thailand. Additionally, we employed the geometric morphometric technique to assess variations in wing size and shape among fi...

Ascoschoengastia indica is one of the dominant chigger species in Southeast Asia and a potential carrier of scrub typhus, due in part to its cosmopolitan nature. This study explored the possible biological significance of the observed dimorphism in the shape of its scutum sensilla. Sensilla are specialized structures that are generally adapted to p...

Recent studies have revealed taxonomic signals within the wing cells of certain mosquito species. In our study, wing cell differentiation among mosquito vectors from the Tanaosri mountain range in Thailand was evaluated using the outline-based geometric morphometric (GM) approach. Our focus was on four specific wing cells for GM analysis: the wing...

Armigeres subalbatus, a mosquito species widely found in Thailand and other Asian countries, serves as a vector for filarial parasites, affecting both humans and animals. However, the surveillance of this vector is complicated because of its morphological similarity to two other species, Armigeres dohami and Armigeres kesseli. To differentiate thes...

Coquillettidia mosquitoes are important nuisance-biting pests and a vector of brugian filariasis in Thailand. However, comprehensive information about these mosquitoes remains unavailable such as molecular and morphometric differences among species. The lack of vector knowledge on Coquillettidia species could affect future disease control. This stu...

Simple Summary Culex pseudovishnui, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, and Cx. vishnui are members of the Cx. vishnui subgroup and are vectors of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in Thailand. However, their extremely similar morphologies make identification difficult. Thus, geometric morphometrics (GM) and DNA barcoding were applied to identify Cx. pseudovishnui, Cx...

Plasmodium knowlesi, a malaria parasite that occurs naturally in long-tailed macaques, pig-tailed macaques, and banded leaf monkeys, is currently regarded as the fifth of the human malaria parasites. We aimed to investigate genetic diversity based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, detect Plasmodium parasites, and screen for the volt...

Anopheles members of the Barbirostris complex are important vectors of malaria in Thailand. However, they aremorphologically indistinguishable because they are closely related species. In this study, wing geometric mor-phometrics (GM) and DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene were applied todifferentiate cryptic speci...

The correct identification of mosquito species is important for effective mosquito vector control. However, the standard morphological identification of mosquito species based on the available keys is not easy with specimens in the field due to missing or damaged morphological features during mosquito collections, often leading to the misidentifica...

Anopheles (Cellia) dirus Peyton & Harrison and Anopheles baimaii Sallum & Peyton are sibling species within the Dirus complex belonging to the Leucosphyrus group, and have been incriminated as primary vectors of malaria in Thailand. In the present study, DNA barcoding and geometric morphometrics were used to distinguish between An. dirus and An. ba...

Simple Summary Determination of species in the ant genus Odontomachus, which is a venomous group of ants, may require the use of highly trained entomologists. In Thailand, three species are very similar and difficult to distinguish: O. monticola, O. rixosus, and O. simillimus. In such a situation, a complementary technique not requiring highly spec...

Simple Summary Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes include important vectors of human disease viruses, including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Surveillance programs used to detect and control these pests need accurate, fast and low-cost techniques to track the primary target and monitor possible re-infestations. Geometric morphometrics of mosquito wings...

Background Anopheles sawadwongporni Rattanarithikul & Green, Anopheles maculatus Theobald and Anopheles pseudowillmori (Theobald) of the Anopheles maculatus group (Diptera: Culicidae) are recognized as potential malaria vectors in many countries from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to Taiwan. A number of malaria vectors in malaria ho...

Background Previous publications revealed a clear taxonomic signal embedded in the external contour of the wings. Our study explored this signal also for internal cells of the wings, with the following question: do internal cells uniformly provide the same taxonomic information? Methods Our study focused on four species, three of them of medical im...

Background Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica cause fascioliasis in both humans and livestock. Some adult specimens of Fasciola sp. referred to as “intermediate forms” based on their genetic traits, are also frequently reported. Simple morphological criteria are unreliable for their specific identification. In previous studies, promising phenotypic...

Chaiphongpachara T, Sumruayphol S. 2019. Geometric morphometrics as a tool for three species identification of the firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) in Thailand. Biodiversitas 20: 2388-2395. Firefly is an insect belonging to the Lampyridae family that is important to the ecosystem, generates income from tourism in the area and act as a biological co...

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 abdome...

The vectors of scrub typhus are the larval stage of trombiculid mites, termed “chiggers”. These vectors are very small – the larvae are approximately 0.2 mm in size - and therefore their morphological identification is difficult. Trombiculid mites are widely distributed across Asia and they can be identified at the genus level by the shape, size an...

Effective trapping of adult mosquitoes in the wild can reduce the spread of deadly human pathogens, such as Plasmodium species causing malaria. The efficacy of this strategy depends on the capacity of the trap to attract and retain insects, and specific odorants such as octenol in mushrooms are strong attractants for mosquitoes. In this study, we a...

Effective trapping of adult mosquitoes in the wild can reduce the spread of deadly human pathogens, such as Plasmodium species causing malaria. The efficacy of this strategy depends on the capacity of the trap to attract and retain insects, and specific odorants such as octenol in mushrooms are strong attractants for mosquitoes. In this study, we a...

Fasciola spp. are large liver flukes in family Fasciolidae (Railliet, 1895), subfamily Fasciolinae (Stiles et Hassall, 1898). Fasciola hepatica Linnaeus, 1758 and F. gigantica Cobbold, 1855 are known as the cause of human fascioliasis. Fasciola intermediate form was also reported in the overlapping endemic area between F. gigantica and F. hepatica....

This study assessed species diversity and distribution of mosquito vectors in coastal habitats dividing it to three areas according to the distance from the sea. We also described a comprehensive analysis on factors associated with natural habitat preference of mosquito larvae in the Samut Songkhram province, Thailand. Adult and larval mosquito sur...

Zoonotic scrub typhus is vector-borne disease transmitting by the larval stage of Trombiculid mite called “chigger”. Chigger mite identification is needed microscopic process. The classical method of species identification necessary to destroy internal tissue and fix with microscopic slide. It seems to be impossible to get molecular information fro...

Scrub typhus is endemic in rural areas of Asia Pacific, including in Lao PDR. The causal agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi, is a gram-negative bacterium transmitted by Trombiculid mite larvae (chiggers), which live as ectoparasites on vertebrate hosts. For effective disease control, robust vector surveillance is essential, which should include understa...

Global climate change has impacted public health that including vector borne disease. In particular, changing temperatures have altered insect vector life cycles and viral incubation periods. Several methods have been used to estimate changes in the worldwide distribution of dengue in various global climate change scenarios. In this study, we inves...

Haematopota spp. or cleg flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) are haematophagous flies of considerable medical and veterinary importance, in Thailand. These flies may act as vectors and/or potential vectors of many pathogens (virus, bacteria and protozoa). Their accurate identification is an important for recognition the potential vectors and also helps in t...

To distinguish species or populations using morphometric data is generally processed through multivariate analyses, in particular the discriminant analysis. We explored another approach based on the maximum likelihood method. Simple statistics based on the assumption of normal distribution at a single variable allows to compute the chance of observ...

Wild rodents are the major natural hosts of chigger mites, the vector of scrub typhus disease. Rodent trapping is the main method of chigger survey because it can reveal the species diversity and population density of chigger mite in the surveillance area. Either much or less, a number of chigger are usually found on the rodent ear leaves causing s...

Geographic populations of the two main sandflies genera present in Thailand were studied for species and population identification. Size and shape of Phlebotomus stantoni and Sergentomyia hodgsoni from different island and mainland locations were examined by landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Intraspecific and interspecific wing comparison was...

Adult flies of the genus Stomoxys Geoffroy, 1762 (Diptera: Muscidae), especially S. pullus Austen, 1909, S. uruma Shinon-aga et Kano, 1966 and S. indicus Picard, 1908, are morphologically similar and sometimes difficult to distinguish when using external morphological characteristics. These species may act as vectors and/or potential vectors of man...

The Thai-Myanmar border is a remaining hotspot for malaria transmission. Malaria transmission in this region continues year-round, with a major peak season in July-August, and a minor peak in October-November. Malaria elimination requires better knowledge of the mosquito community structure, dynamics and vectorial status to support effective vector...

Background: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention miniature light traps (CDC-LT) baited with CO2 are a routine tool for adult mosquito sampling used in entomological surveys, and for monitoring and surveillance of disease vectors. The present study was aimed at evaluating the performance of baited and unbaited CDC-LT for indoor and outdoor tr...

A survey of biting midges in animal sheds, mangroves and beaches along the Andaman coastal region in southern Thailand between April 2012 and May 2013 collected 10 species of Culicoides which were not previously known from Thailand. These new records are C. arenicola, C. flavipunctatus, C. hui, C. kinari, C. kusaiensis, C. parabubalus, C. quatei, C...

Stomoxyini flies (Diptera: Muscidae) include species of parasitic flies of medical and veterinary importance. The adult flies feed on the blood of mammals and may transmit several parasites and pathogens. We conducted an entomological survey of Stomoxyini flies from different sites in Thailand. Stomoxyini flies were collected at four major types of...

A longitudinal entomological survey was conducted to provide in-depth information on An. epiroticus and determine whether ecological and entomological factors could influence malaria transmission in Rayong Province, Thailand. The mosquitoes were collected monthly from May 2007 to April 2008 by human landing catch technique from 6:00-12:00 PM for 2...

A method for rapid determination of viral RNA sequences (RDV) was applied to homogenates of Aedes aegypti collected in Thailand in an area in which dengue fever (dengue hemorrhagic fever) is endemic, using the mosquito cell line C6/36. Nucleic acid sequences of dengue virus type 4 and cell fusing agent virus were detected. This RDV method has the p...

This study aimed to determine the activity of citrus-seed extract against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. The results indicated that ethanol citrus-seed extract showed the best killing effect on Ae. aegypti larvae, followed by local liquor, and water, with LC50 of 2,267.71, 6,389.22, and 135,319.40 ppm, respectively, whereas against Cx...