The Gyrinidae (Coleoptera) fauna of Thailand: Key to tribes and genera, with new records and keys to species of Dineutini and Gyrinini.

Eighteen species and four genera of the family Gyrinidae are recorded from Thailand. Seven species, belonging to three genera in the tribes Dineutini and Gyrinini, are here treated in detail. Dineutus sitesi Gustafson, Hjek Miller, D. spinosus (Fabricius), D. unidentatus Aub, Porrorhynchus marginatus Laporte and Gyrinus sericeolimbatus Rgimbart were already known, whereas D. australis (Fabricius) and Gyrinus smaragdinus Rgimbart are recorded for the first time. Diagnoses, distribution maps and keys to tribes, genera, and all species of Dineutus and Gyrinus occurring in Thailand are provided. The fourth genus, Patrus (tribe Orectochilini), has been partly revised in a preceding paper.

Review of the Patrus landaisi species group from Thailand with description of three new species (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae).

A survey of the whirligig beetles of the genus Patrus Aubé, 1838 occurring in Thailand belonging to the newly designated Patrus landaisi species group is presented. Three new species are described and illustrated: P. garuda sp. nov., P. nanensis sp. nov. and P. phetchabunensis sp. nov.; with P. apicalis (Régimbart, 1891), P. landaisi (Régimbart, 1892), and P. subapicalis (Ochs, 1930) stat. nov. being recorded for the first time in Thailand. Morphological and molecular analyses, together in an integrative approach, support the elevation of P. subapicalis to species status, instead of being a subspecies of P. apicalis. A diagnosis, illustrations of habitus and diagnostic characters, distribution maps, habitat images and a key to species are provided for all known members of the P. landaisi species group that occur in Thailand. A checklist of species in the group is also given.

The alderfly genus Indosialis Lestage, 1927 (Megaloptera: Sialidae) in Thailand and Laos, with a description of a new species.

Indosialis Lestage, 1927 is a small and rare megalopteran genus belonging to the family Sialidae and endemic to the Oriental region. The Thai and Lao species of Indosialis are herein revised by an integrative approach combining morphological and molecular evidence, including two species: Indosialis bannaensis Liu, Yang Hayashi, 2006 and Indosialis siamensis sp. nov. The pupal stage of Indosialis is reported here for the first time. Indosialis siamensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by 1) the brown head and prothorax (orange in congeners); 2) the apical tooth of right mandible in male sharply angulated (truncate or almost absent in congeners); and 3) the distinct sac-like structure present in male genitalia (indistinct or absent in congeners). The new species coexists with I. bannaensis in Loei Province, northeastern Thailand. Both species inhabit slow-flowing or sluggish streams that are usually covered by Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott (Araceae).

Description of nymphs and female subimago of Sparsorythus multilabeculatus Sroka Soldán, 2008 (Ephemeroptera: Tricorythidae) associated with male imago based on DNA sequence data.

Sparsorythus is a genus of Tricorythidae from the Oriental Region. Sparsorythus multilabeculatus Sroka Soldán, 2008 was described based on a male imago from Vietnam. Unknown nymphs and female subimagines of Sparsorythus and male imagines of S. multilabeculatus were collected from Thap Lan National Park, Khon Buri District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. Nymphs and female subimagines of Sparsorythus were associated with male imagines of S. multilabeculatus by analyzing sequences from the DNA barcoding region of the mitochrondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I. Phylogenetic analysis based on Maximum Likelihood indicated that all unknown specimens are conspecific with male imagines of S. multilabeculatus (bootstrap 100% and genetic distance 0-0.004). Male and female nymphs, female subimago and egg are described for the first time. Nymphs each bear a medial emargination on the hypopharynx, one bristle-like process at the base of the left prostheca, and a bifurcate rudimentary gill on abdominal segment VII. The male usually has smudges and light blotches on its forewings; the penis extends to the basal segment of the forceps and reaches to approximately 1/3 of the second segment of the forceps. Forewings of the female subimago have dark colour over more than half of the basal area, and the distal portion of each wing is translucent. The egg has a rounded pole; the polar cap covers approximately 1/4 of the surface; and the surface is covered with hexagonal structures.

Vietelmis jablonskii, a new species of riffle beetle from Laos and Thailand and new faunistic records on Vietelmis Delève, 1968 from Malaysia (Coleoptera: Elmidae).

A new species of riffle beetle, Vietelmis jablonskii, from Laos and Thailand is described and illustrated. Differences to other Vietelmis species are discussed and an identification key for the Vietelmis is presented. New faunistic records are provided for V. kovaci Kodada & Ciampor, 2000; the genus Vietelmis is newly recorded for Thailand.

Five new species of the genus Cheumatopsyche (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) from the Phetchabun Mountains, Thailand.

Five new species of the genus Cheumatopsyche (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) from the Phetchabun Mountains, Thailand, are described and illustrated. The national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the Phetchabun Mountains are recognized as areas with a high density of endemic species deserving protection. Four new species of Cheumatopsyche (C. recta, C. diversa, C. triangula, and C. tongto) have been found in Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Phu Kradueng National Park and Thung Salaeng Luang National Park; a fifth new species (C. cava) has been found in Phu Kradueng National Park. Describing hydropsychid species is important not only to study diversity and distribution but also to facilitate eventual descriptions of larvae for use in freshwater biomonitoring programs to detect pollution.

An implementation plan for using biological indicators to improve assessment of water quality in Thailand.

Most national standards for assessment of water quality include physical and chemical indicators relevant to specific pollutants and stressors. However, biological communities reflect not only current conditions of aquatic resources but also change in conditions over time and impacts from multiple stressors. Assessing the health of the aquatic community (that is, bioassessments) has proven to be critical in protecting and maintaining healthy surface waters under the mandates of regulatory frameworks, such as the Clean Water Act in the USA and the Water Framework Directive of the European Union. Whereas, in Thailand water standards, bioassessment is lacking in favor of chemical criteria, only coliform bacteria measurement can be considered a surrogate biological parameter. Our paper argues that incorporating bioassessment will improve water resource condition evaluations and recommends the use of the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage as a bioassessment framework in Thailand. We discuss the implementation of a bioassessment program that consists of two major components, (a) a scientifically valid technical approach and (b) consideration of technical resources for a cost-effective program. The technical design comprises (1) classification of streams into similar groupings, (2) design of a biological survey, (3) a well-documented sampling protocol, (4) calibration of biological metrics for data analysis, (5) development of criteria for determination of ecological condition, and (6) communication of the results to citizens and policymakers. A cost-effective way to develop a bioassessment program that will improve Thailand's ability to measure water quality and to make good decisions to attain healthy quality status is to establish partnerships by coordinating efforts and sharing data and technology with adjacent regional environmental offices or provinces. This collaboration would be fostered through a long-term national water resources management strategy and clear definition of goals and desired outcomes that are critical components of the overall National Plan for Ecological Health.

Development of rapid bioassessment approaches using benthic macroinvertebrates for Thai streams.

Thailand currently lacks formal bioassessment approaches and protocols to assist management decisions for water quality. The aim of this research is to develop a practical method of rapid bioassessment for a professional level by using benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages for streams in Thailand. Eleven reference and nine test sites were sampled in the headwater streams of the Loei River and adjacent areas to explore the development of a practical protocol. Specific physico-chemical parameters were selected to provide ecological information supplemental to the biological indicators. The biological research was designed around the USEPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols (RBPs) using the multi-habitat approach. Four fixed-count subsamplings (100, 200, 300 and 500 organisms) were randomly conducted using a standardized gridded pan to evaluate an appropriate level for bioassessment in Thai streams. A 300 organism subsample is adequate for bioassessment purposes in Thai stream (evaluated by calculating dissimilarity values and ordination techniques). A systematic selection of candidate reference sites, metric selection, and index calibration was part of this research. Multimetric and multivariate analyses were examined as a foundation for bioassessment in Thailand. The multimetric approach appears to be more practical for a rapid bioassessment technique. Nine core metrics were identified for biological index score including number of total taxa, Diptera taxa, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, and Coleoptera taxa, (%) Plecoptera, (%) Tolerant organisms, Beck's Biotic Index, (%) Intolerant organisms, Shredders taxa and Clingers taxa were calibrated for the final index. As a result of multimetric and multivariate analyses, family level identification data effectively discriminated reference condition and broad-scale environmental gradients. Hampered by incomplete taxonomic knowledge of benthic macroinvertebrates in Thailand, family-level identification may be sufficient taxonomic resolution for rapid bioassessment in Thailand.