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Scanning electron microscopy of Anopheles hyrcanus group (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs in Thailand and an ultrastructural key for species identification

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Abstract

The eggs of Anopheles argyropus, Anopheles crawfordi, Anopheles nigerrimus, Anopheles nitidus, Anopheles paraliae, Anopheles peditaeniatus, Anopheles pursati, and Anopheles sinensis are described with the aid of scanning electron micrographs. Comparisons of the egg structure among the eight species showed that the eggs differed with respect to the following characteristics: the deck—complete (An. argyropus, An. nigerrimus, An. paraliae, An. peditaeniatus, and An. sinensis); variable (complete, split and incomplete decks found together within an egg batch/An. crawfordi); and division into an area at each end (An. nitidus and An. pursati). The ratios of the entire length per maximal deck width within the area covered by floats were 3.33–6.86 (An. sinensis), 8.78–18.20 (An. peditaeniatus), 13.67–22 (An. nigerrimus), 26.33–44.25 (An. paraliae), and 26.99–75.94 (An. argyropus). The numbers of float ribs were 21–27 (An. peditaeniatus) and 28–34 (An. nigerrimus), and the total numbers of anterior and posterior tubercles were 6–8 (An. paraliae) and 9–11 (An. argyropus). Exochorionic sculpturing was of reticulum type (An. argyropus, An. crawfordi, An. nigerrimus, An. nitidus, An. paraliae, An. peditaeniatus, and An. sinensis) and pure tubercle type (An. pursati). Attempts are proposed to construct a robust key for species identification based on the morphometrics and ultrastructures of eggs under scanning electron microscopy.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by funding awarded to W. Choochote and A. Saeung from the Thailand Research Fund (TRF Senior Research Scholar: RTA5480006), Faculty of Medicine Research Fund, and Diamond Research Grant of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. The authors would like to thank Dr. Wattana Navacharoen, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, for his interest in this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Atiporn Saeung, Chayanit Hempolchom, Udom Chaithong, Kritsana Taai, Pradya Somboon & Wej Choochote

  2. Medical Science Research Equipment Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Thippawan Yasanga

  3. Department of Infectious Disease Control, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, 879-5593, Japan

    Yasushi Otsuka

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Science (Establishment Project), Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

    Sorawat Thongsahuan

  5. Entomology Section, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, P.O. Box 7, Chiang Mai, 50180, Thailand

    Wichai Srisuka

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  1. Atiporn Saeung
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  2. Chayanit Hempolchom
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Correspondence to Wej Choochote.

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Saeung, A., Hempolchom, C., Yasanga, T. et al. Scanning electron microscopy of Anopheles hyrcanus group (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs in Thailand and an ultrastructural key for species identification. Parasitol Res 113, 973–981 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3729-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3729-0

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