Species Diversity of Mosquito Vectors in Khok Ket Village, Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand

Sedthapong  Laojun; Tanawat  Chaiphongpachara

Sedthapong Laojun Department of Public Health and Health Promotion, College of Allied Health Sciences, Suan Sunandha
Tanawat Chaiphongpachara Department of Public Health and Health Promotion, College of Allied Health Sciences, Suan Sunandha

Keywords: mosquito vectors, species diversity, Samut Songkhram

Abstract

Mosquitoes are important vectors of several human diseases, including malaria, filariasis, dengue fever, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis. Understanding the species diversity and distribution of mosquito vectors is crucial for effective surveillance and control . This study investigated the species diversity of mosquito vectors in Khok Ket Village, Plai Phongphang Subdistrict, Am phawa District, Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand . Mosquitoes were collected using BG light traps baited with dry ice from April to May 2023 and identified morphologically under a stereomicroscope using standard taxonomic keys . A total of 221 mosquitoes w ere collected and classified into 11 species . The most abundant species were Anopheles tessellatus (31.67%), a suspected secondary vector of malaria and filariasis; Anopheles hyrcanus group (An. paraliae / An. pursati) (17.19%), a potential malaria vector; and Culex gelidus (14.93%), a vector of Japanese encephalitis . Species diversity indices revealed a Dominance Index (D) of 0.18, a Simpson Index of 0 .82, a Shannon Index of 1 .95, a Margalef Richness of 1.85, and an Evenness of 0 .64, indicating moderate species diversity and richness in the study area. These findings highlight the potential risk of mosquito -borne disease transmission in Samut Songkhram Province and provide essential baseline data to support public health authorities in developing effective vector surveillance and control strategies.