Avian malaria parasites of wild birds and their vector mosquitoes have been studied intensively in recent years mainly because of the development of molecular techniques to detect and identify genetic lineage of parasites. This review focused on field studies of vector mosquitoes of avian malaria parasites and examined geographic distributions of vector mosquitoes and genetic lineages of avian Plasmodium parasites based on the Vector data table in MalAvi database. Culex pipiens group and 5 genetic lineages, such as SGS1, GRW11, SYAT05, PADOM02 and CXPIP10, showed a global distribution. The vector-parasite relationships summarized from the Vector data table of MalAvi showed that the average number of reported genetic lineages of avian malaria parasite per suspected vector species was 4.3±8.0, whereas the average number of suspected vector species per genetic lineage was 1.5±1.1. Among 42 suspected vector species of avian malaria parasite 43% of them harbored only 1 genetic lineage and 75% (89/119) of genetic lineages were reported from single suspected vector species. The epidemiological significance of avian malaria vector studies was discussed for predicting the potential transmission cycles of vector-borne zoonotic diseases.

The pupa and larva of Topomyia (Topomyia) gracilis Leicester are described and illustrated for the first time based on specimens collected from Sarawak and Selangor, Malaysia and Bali Is., Indonesia. The male genitalia was also illustrated. The larvae of this species usually breed in the water accumulation of leaf axils (or phytotelmata) of taro plants (Alocasia and Colocasia), wild and domestic bananas (Musa spp.) and Pandanus sp. in semi-domestic environments from coastal plains to mountain forests.

Important insecticide resistance mechanisms in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti are mutations of voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) genes or knockdown resistance (kdr) and increased activity of metabolic enzymes. The objective of this study was to determine activity of mixed-function oxidases (MFO), esterases and glutathione-s-transferases (GSTs) in two strains of Ae. aegypti. The UPK-R strain, which harbors S989P and V1016G homozygous mutations in the VGSC, was compared with the wild-type PMD strain. Adult bioassays revealed that the UPK-R was resistant to DDT, permethrin, deltamethrin and malathion, whereas the PMD was resistant to only DDT. Enzyme activity in larvae, pupae and adults of the UPK-R strain was statistically higher than that observed in the PMD strain (mostly 1-2 fold). The current work supports previous studies which have suggested that increased MFO activity plays a partial role in pyrethroid resistance, whereas kdr is the major mechanism. Resistance to organophosphates and DDT is probably due to cross-resistance of MFO or increased activities of esterases and GSTs, respectively. Metabolic resistance combined with kdr may complicate insecticide-based control of dengue vectors in Thailand.

The male of Simulium (Simulium) suchariti Takaoka & Choochote is described for the first time based on a unique male reared from a pupa collected from a stream at Ang Ka, Doi Inthanon National Park, Thailand. It is characterized by abdominal segment 10 with about 15 distinct hairs on each side of the posteroventral surface. A key to identify males of all 16 species of the Simulium griseifrons species-group recorded from Thailand is provided.

A new species of the flesh fly, Papesarcophaga tainanensis sp. nov. from Tainan, Taiwan, is described and illustrated. Keys to the 32 genera of Sarcophagidae are provided to include this new species, and an updated check-list is provided.