Abstract. – A new whip spider species of the genus Sarax Simon, 1892 is described based on three specimens collected in Koh Pha Ngan island, Southern Thailand. The new species, Sarax kosulici sp. nov., represents the second species of the genus Sarax described from Thailand, and the sixth species of Amblypygi reported from the country. The new taxon described here raises the total number of currently recognized species for the genus Sarax to 39.
Curcuma gracillima Gagnep. is a rare species and it has been found in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and some regions of southern Vietnam. This study provided the micro-morphological and molecular data of this species collected from Xuyen Moc Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for the first time. As a result, the Internal Transcribe Spacer (ITS) and trnL intron of C. gracillima were successfully amplified and sequenced. These sequences were also successfully deposited on the NCBI database with the accession numbers PQ813594 and PQ821005. The genetic relationship of C. gracillima in this study with other taxa of this species from different habitats was also reported. The pairwise alignment of C. gracillima from this study and its taxa from the prior reports showed the genetic variation in the ITS and trnL intron regions among C. gracillima collected from the different locations. In addition, the details of the anatomical characteristics of C. gracillima leaf, leaf sheath, petiole, root, and rhizome were first investigated.
Sermyla riquetii, a thiarid gastropod, serves as an intermediate host for various trematodes in brackish and coastal habitats. This study examined 6,137 S. riquetii specimens from 29 sites across 16 Thai provinces to identify larval trematodes using morphological and molecular approaches. Cercariae were detected in 35 snails (0.57%) and assigned to three morphological types: (i) pleurolophocercous (including Centrocestus formosanus and Stellantchasmus falcatus), (ii) parapleurolophocercous (Procerovum cheni), and (iii) furcocercous (Transversotrema laruei). The pleurolophocercous type was the most prevalent. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS2 region confirmed the identities of C. formosanus, S. falcatus, and P. cheni, which clustered with corresponding GenBank sequences. Molecular data could not differentiate between pleurolophocercous and parapleurolophocercous types. This is the first report of S. riquetii as a host for C. formosanus and P. cheni in Thailand. The findings provide important baseline data on trematode-snail associations and support the potential role of S. riquetii in the transmission of zoonotic trematodes. This study contributes to the understanding of parasite biodiversity in tropical estuarine ecosystems and highlights the need for monitoring snail populations in disease risk assessments.
The study investigated the diversity and the spatial distribution of seaweed in the intertidal zone during three periods including December 2022, March 2023, and May 2023 at Tu Thien seaweed field, Phuoc Dinh commune, Thuan Nam district, Ninh Thuan province. Samples were hand collected through wading surveys of the intertidal zone during low tide periods. The coverage was assessed based using the line transect-quadrat method of Saito and Atobe. The investigation recorded 59 species of seaweeds belonging to 3 phyla, 3 classes and 34 genera. Among all families, Sargassaceae was the most species-rich with 11 species, followed by Gracilariaceae with 9 species. The Rhodophyta accounted for the highest proportion of species composition. The highest coverage of seaweed was measured in March 2023 (103.36 to 343.19). Ulva reticulata was the dominant species, with the Simpson dominance index ranging from 0.7 to 0.9 at most sites in March. Simultaneously, the coverage of this species reached 80% during the March survey period. The Cheney index of 2.28, the Tu Thien seaweed community was classified as temperate. It is inferred that seaweed exhibits substantial diversity and abundance at optimal times of the year, particularly during the first half, before gradually diminishing in the latter half. The baseline data generated in this study will serve as the first foundational reference, not only for the scientific assessment of seaweed coverage but also for documenting the occurrence of seaweed species in the Tu Thien seaweed field, Ninh Thuan.
Populations of large fruit bats such as flying foxes are declining globally, particularly due to hunting. Monitoring population changes as well as roost characteristics are vital for conservation planning. The distribution and population size of flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) in Myanmar were assessed in the Mandalay Region, Sagaing Region, Mon State (Mawlamyine Township and Kyaikami Township), and Tanintharyi Region (Myeik Township, Thayetchaung Township, Thae Phyu Island) from February 2020 to January 2021. The survey found 12 colonies of P. medius and 3 colonies of P. hypomelanus roosting in 17 tree species. Direct roost counts were used to estimate the population size of these species. The total number of individuals across all study sites was 73,876 for P. medius and 20,458 for P. hypomelanus. The roosting sites of P. medius and P. hypomelanus were at an average elevation of 59.25 m and 25 m, respectively, and close to bodies of water. In total, 66% of P. medius and 61% of P. hypomelanus populations were located within Buddhist temples and public land, respectively. In addition, one-third of their populations occupied private land. Approximately 56% of the total flying fox population was found in areas classified as well-protected and 44% as disturbed. Temples play a crucial role in providing safe roosting habitats for flying foxes in Myanmar as hunting is prohibited in temples. Tall, large canopy trees offer optimum roost sites for flying foxes as they provide more heat dissipation on hot days when flying foxes often experience hyperthermia in full sunlight. Some colonies were found to suffer from hunting or roost tree cutting. Private land is also vital for flying fox survival and conservation efforts need to involve collaboration with private landowners to ensure their protection and survival. This study identifies ecologically important roost characteristics and provides an update on the distribution and population status of Pteropus species in Myanmar.
