A new genus of bamboo culm tarantula from Thailand (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae)

Bamboo plays an important role in the animal world, including providing a nutritious food source, shelter, and habitat. Inside of bamboo culm, we discovered a new genus of tarantula, which we describe here as Taksinusgen. nov. (♂♀). Specimens of this new tarantula were collected from Mae Tho, Mueang Tak district, Tak province, in Thailand, making it geographically distant from any other arboreal genera. Genital morphology was used to diagnose its genus, which is supported by distributional data, natural history, morphological characters, and photographic illustrations of the male and female. Diagnosis of the new genus was determined by distinguishing its different characters from those of other arboreal theraphosid spiders distributed throughout Southeast Asia. This tarantula’s specialization is that it lives in the stalks of the Asian bamboo Gigantochloa sp.

Three new species of cave Troglopedetes (Collembola, Paronellidae, Troglopedetinae) from Thailand, with a key to the Thai species

Thailand is today the richest country for the genus Troglopedetes Joseph, 1872, with 17 species described from the country. In this study three troglomorphic new species are described from caves in the western region. They are T. spectabilissp. nov. and T. rungsimaesp. nov. from Kanchanaburi province and T. takensissp. nov., from Tak province. The three new species share elongated antennae and have the same number of central mac on Th. III and Abd. IV. However, they differ from one another by the combination of: presence of eyes, antennal length, claw morphology, central head macrochaetotaxy and internal row of dental spines. Troglopedetes spectabilissp. nov. is remarkably different from its congeners by its extreme long appendages, especially the antennae (ratio antenna: head = 5.5). In the second part of the paper the arrangment of antennal chaetotaxy and the diversity of its phaneres is analyzed in the three new species, homologized and compared with those of two other species described from Thailand (T. meridionalis and T. kae). A total of 22 types of chaetae have now been recognized among the species. A new type of S-chaetae for the genus was discovered in this study. There are 5 types of ordinary chaetae, 15 types of S-chaetae, the subapical organite of Ant. IV and scales. A total of 1,107 to 2,183 antennal chaetae on each side were observed, which includes 308–485 S-chaetae, 687–1,402 ordinary chaetae, 72–295 scales and a subapical organite.

Factors Influencing High Academic Achievement of Stateless Migrant Children in Tak Province, Thailand

The knowledge gained from this study will contribute to the field of migrant education and could encourage policymakers and educators to implement education programmes to both meet the needs and enable the success of migrant children. This multi-case study examined five factors—family, individual, school/teacher, peer group, and community/culture—that influenced the academic achievement of migrant children. The key participants were six migrant children in Grade 6 in two Royal Thai Government schools in Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand, three class teachers, and six caregivers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations. Creswell’s five steps of qualitative data analysis was used: organising and preparing data, reading through all data, coding the data, interrelating the themes, and interpreting the meaning of themes. The seven themes were as follows: (1) the value of education; (2) parents/guardians as important agents to support their children’s education; (3) individual characteristics contributing to good grades; (4) the impact of peer relationships; (5) healthy relationships with school and teachers; (6) the power of the community; and (7) gratitude as a motivation for a high level of education.

Two new species of Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) from Thailand

Two new species of Aquifoliaceae are reported for Thailand. Ilex depressifructu is newly recorded from Umphang District, Tak Province (leaf blades ovate, ovate-oblong or oblong, base obtuse; infructescences solitary dichasia; fruits depressed globose with capitate stigma; pyrenes 5, shallowly-5-sulcate, 6-striate) and Ilex phanganensis (like I. umbellulata, but glabrous, smaller leaves, less veins, diplothyrsoid inflorescences with mainly alternate branches, less pyrenes), is newly recorded from Ko Phagnan Islands, Surat Thani Province. The descriptions and illustrations of the taxa are presented.

Risk factors and prevalence of taeniasis among the Karen people of Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand

Taeniasis remains a prevalent public health problem in Thailand. National helminthiasis surveys report only the incidence of Taenia spp. eggs. The ability to differentiate Taenia species using morphological and molecular techniques is vital for epidemiological surveys. This study detected taeniasis carriers and other helminthic infections by Kato’s thick smear technique and identified the Taenia species by multiplex PCR. The study subjects were the ethnic Karen people in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand, bordering Myanmar. In total, 983 faecal samples from villagers were examined for helminthiases. Interview-based questionnaires were used to gather information on possible risk factors for infection. The prevalence of helminth infections was 42.7% (420/983), including single (37.3%, 367/983) and mixed infections (5.4%, 53/983). The most common infection (19.23%, 189/983) was Ascaris lumbricoides, whereas taeniasis carriers comprised 2.8% (28/983). Multiplex PCR of Cox1 was used for species identification of Taenia tapeworms, eggs, or both in 22 taeniasis carriers. Most of the parasites (20 cases) were Taenia solium, with two cases of Taenia saginata. Taenia saginata asiatica was not found in the villagers examined. The analysis of 314 completed questionnaires showed that a statistically significant (p < 0.05) risk of taeniasis was correlated with being male, a history of being allowed to forage during childhood, a history of seeing tapeworm proglottids, and a history of raw or undercooked pork consumption. Health education programmes must seek to reduce and prevent reinfection in these communities.

Two new species of Ilex (Aquifoliaceae) from Thailand

Two new species of Aquifoliaceae are reported for Thailand. Ilex depressifructu is newly recorded from Umphang District, Tak Province (leaf blades ovate, ovate-oblong or oblong, base obtuse; infructescences solitary dichasia; fruits depressed globose with capitate stigma; pyrenes 5, shallowly-5-sulcate, 6-striate) and Ilex phanganensis (like I. umbellulata, but glabrous, smaller leaves, less veins, diplothyrsoid inflorescences with mainly alternate branches, less pyrenes), is newly recorded from Ko Phagnan Islands, Surat Thani Province. The descriptions and illustrations of the taxa are presented.

Seasonal dynamics and molecular differentiation of three natural Anopheles species (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Maculatus group (Neocellia series) in malaria hotspot villages of Thailand

Background Anopheles sawadwongporni Rattanarithikul & Green, Anopheles maculatus Theobald and Anopheles pseudowillmori (Theobald) of the Anopheles maculatus group (Diptera: Culicidae) are recognized as potential malaria vectors in many countries from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to Taiwan. A number of malaria vectors in malaria hotspot areas along the Thai-Myanmar border belong to this complex. However, the species distribution and dynamic trends remain understudied in this malaria endemic region. Methods Mosquitoes of the Maculatus group were collected using CDC light traps every other week from four villages in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand from January to December 2015. Adult female mosquitoes were morphologically identified on site using taxonomic keys. Molecular species identification was performed by multiplex PCR based on the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and sequencing of the cox1 gene at a DNA barcoding region in a subset of 29 specimens. Results A total of 1328 An. maculatus (sensu lato) female mosquitoes were captured with An. maculatus, An. sawadwongporni and An. pseudowilmori accounting for 75.2, 22.1 and 2.7% respectively. The field captured mosquitoes of the Maculatus group were most abundant in the wet season and had a preferred distribution in villages at higher elevations. The phylogenetic relationships of 29 cox1 sequences showed a clear-cut separation of the three member species of the Maculatus group, with the An. pseudowillmori cluster being separated from An. sawadwongporni and An. maculatus. Conclusions This study provides updated information for the species composition, seasonal dynamics and microgeographical distribution of the Maculatus group in malaria-endemic areas of western Thailand. This information can be used to guide the planning and implementation of mosquito control measures in the pursuance of malaria transmission.

Association between Health Insurance and Incidence of Death in Stateless Children in Tak Province, Thailand

This study assesses the association between health insurance and incidence of death in stateless children compared with uninsured children in Tak Province in Thailand. The study used electronic medical records of children aged between 0 and 15 who registered with selected health facilities between 01 January 2013 and 31 December 2017. The required data was obtained from ‘43-files database’ through the Provincial Public Health Office. The death case was used as a binary outcome variable while the exposure was three types of insurance: uninsured, stateless and the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS). The age, sex and domicile of the children were used as covariates in the multivariate logistic regression. Of 164,435 registered children, 824 death cases were found during the study period. The study results suggest that insurance is associated with the reduced risk of deaths in stateless children. The odds of death is 86 per cent lower in the stateless insurees than in the uninsured children (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.242, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.136,0.403]; p < 0.001). The death is 69 per cent lower in the UCS beneficiaries than in the uninsured children (AOR = 0.385,95 per cent CI = [0.308,0.489]; p < 0.001). Age, sex and domicile of the children were independently associated with a varying risk of death.

A new species Cyrtodactytlus Gray (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from western Thailand and the phylogenetic placement of C. inthanon and C. doisuthep

A new species of Cyrtodactylus from Tak Province, Thailand, Cyrtodactylus amphipetraeus sp. nov., is described using an integrative taxonomic analysis based on morphology, color pattern, and the mitochondrial gene NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2). The phylogenetic analyses place the new species within the C. sinyineensis group which was previously thought to be endemic to the Salween Basin in southern Myanmar. The phylogeny also places C. inthanon in the C. sinyneensis group which is expanded herein to also include the group’s sister species C. doisuthep. Along with C. amphipetraeus sp. nov., these are the first three species of the C. sinyineensis group to be found outside of Myanmar east of the Tenasserim Mountains. The Tenasserim Mountain region is discussed as an area of cladogeneic turnover.

Asymptomatic Human Paragonimiasis among the Karen People in Tak Province, Thailand: A Case Report

During the mobile clinic activities in Tak Province, Thailand, <i>Paragonimus</i> sp. eggs were found in a fecal sample of a 72-year-old Karen resident. <i>Paragonimus</i> DNA was amplified from the stool sample and identified to <i>P. heterotremus</i>. The patient did not have any symptoms. Apparent pulmonary lesion was not found on the chest X-ray. The patient admitted habitual consumption of semi-cooked or roasted waterfall crabs for several years. The waterfall crabs collected from stream near the village were found negative for <i>Paragonimus</i> metacercariae. In northern Thailand, paragonimiasis remains as one of the public health concerns and should be ruled out for asymptomatic pulmonary patients.