Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) Diversity and Community Structure in Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Mosquitoes are small flies, some of which are known as principal vectors of the pathogens that cause dengue, malaria, filariasis, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, and Zika in many countries of the world. However, the majority of the species are important components of ecosystems. We evaluated the diversity and community structure of mosquitoes in Doi Inthanon National Park, named for the highest mountain in Thailand. The park mainly consists of natural forest, but it hosts a number of human activities. A total of 140 mosquito species were identified among 3,795 specimens. The most dominant genera were Culex (34.3%), Aedes (19.3%), Anopheles (13.6%), Uranotaenia (10.7%), and Armigeres (5.8%). The five most abundant species were Ae. albopictus, Ae. vittatus, Cx. bitaeniorhynchus, Cx. mimulus, and Tripteroides aranoides. Species richness was higher in the rainy season than in the cold and hot seasons. Natural phytotelm habitats for immature stages had a higher diversity than artificial container habitats. A greater number of species were found in forest areas than in agricultural areas and villages. Ground pools, stream pools, rock pools, bamboo stumps, bamboo internodes, and rice fields were the most preferred natural habitats. Ground pools, rock pools, and stream margins, which had a high diversity index, were the most important habitats for mosquitoes in the park. ABSTRACT: Urbanization and human activities create new suitable aquatic habitats for the immature stages of mosquitoes in many countries. This also applies to Doi Inthanon National Park in northern Thailand, which is named for the highest mountain in the country. Despite its popularity, there is no information regarding mosquito diversity and community structure in the different ecosystems of the park. Monthly collections of immature stages from various habitats were conducted from August 2004 to December 2005 using dipping and sucking methods. The specimens collected from each habitat were reared to adults and identified based on their morphology. Diversity parameters and community structure were statistically analyzed. A total of 140 species (3795 specimens) belonging to 15 genera were identified. Among these, four genera (Culex, Aedes, Anopheles, and Uranotaenia) had high species richness, each represented by 48, 27, 19, and 15 species, respectively. Aedes albopictus was the most relatively abundant species, representing 6.7% of the total number of captured specimens, followed by Tripteroides aranoides (5.6%) and Cx. mimulus (5%). Species richness in natural habitats was significantly higher than in artificial containers. Species richness and abundance were highest in the rainy season. In comparison to agricultural areas and villages, mosquito diversity was found to be higher in forest areas. Ground pools, stream pools, rock pools, bamboo stumps, bamboo internode, and rice fields were the most preferred natural habitats. The results indicate that Doi Inthanon National Park has a high mosquito diversity. Each species exhibits differences in abundance and distribution in different habitats, which is useful information for planning conservation measures and vector control in the park.