wrbu: “know the vector, know the threat”

WRBU: “Know The Vector, WRBU: “Know The Vector, Know The Threat”Know The Threat”

Pollie L.M. Rueda, Ph.D.Rick Wilkerson, Ph.D.Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU)

Entomology Division, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD 20910

Office address: WRBU, Smithsonian Institution

4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD 20746

The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Department of Entomology, (WRBU), Department of Entomology,

DCD&I, WRAIRDCD&I, WRAIR

The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Department of Entomology, (WRBU), Department of Entomology,

DCD&I, WRAIRDCD&I, WRAIR• Basic and applied systematics research on mosquitoes of Basic and applied systematics research on mosquitoes of

medical importance.medical importance.• Basic and applied systematics research on mosquitoes of Basic and applied systematics research on mosquitoes of

medical importance.medical importance.

Primary Activities and GoalsPrimary Activities and GoalsPrimary Activities and GoalsPrimary Activities and Goals

• Morphological and molecular systematics research Morphological and molecular systematics research on vector species and vector species groupson vector species and vector species groups

• Provide identification resources in paper and Provide identification resources in paper and electronic formatselectronic formats

• Provide identifications to DODProvide identifications to DOD

• Curate the National Mosquito CollectionCurate the National Mosquito Collection

• Support DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, Support DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, repellent trials - provide quality control on repellent trials - provide quality control on identificationsidentifications

• Morphological and molecular systematics research Morphological and molecular systematics research on vector species and vector species groupson vector species and vector species groups

• Provide identification resources in paper and Provide identification resources in paper and electronic formatselectronic formats

• Provide identifications to DODProvide identifications to DOD

• Curate the National Mosquito CollectionCurate the National Mosquito Collection

• Support DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, Support DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, repellent trials - provide quality control on repellent trials - provide quality control on identificationsidentifications

HistoryHistoryHistoryHistory

• 1964 Army Mosquito Project (AMP)1964 Army Mosquito Project (AMP)• 1966 Southeast Asia Mosquito Project (SEAMP)1966 Southeast Asia Mosquito Project (SEAMP)• 1974 Medical Entomology Project (MEP)1974 Medical Entomology Project (MEP)• 1981 Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU)1981 Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU)• Approximately 18 military officers, 11 civilians, 32 Approximately 18 military officers, 11 civilians, 32

adjunct personnel and collaboratorsadjunct personnel and collaborators

409+ publications; 12,000+ pages409+ publications; 12,000+ pages

• 1964 Army Mosquito Project (AMP)1964 Army Mosquito Project (AMP)• 1966 Southeast Asia Mosquito Project (SEAMP)1966 Southeast Asia Mosquito Project (SEAMP)• 1974 Medical Entomology Project (MEP)1974 Medical Entomology Project (MEP)• 1981 Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU)1981 Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU)• Approximately 18 military officers, 11 civilians, 32 Approximately 18 military officers, 11 civilians, 32

adjunct personnel and collaboratorsadjunct personnel and collaborators

409+ publications; 12,000+ pages409+ publications; 12,000+ pages

Collaboration with Collaboration with SmithsonianSmithsonian

Collaboration with Collaboration with SmithsonianSmithsonian

• Facilities, services, collection Facilities, services, collection infrastructure support, etc…infrastructure support, etc…

• Use of sequencing resources of Use of sequencing resources of Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB)Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB)

• Emu (Electronic Museum) capture of Emu (Electronic Museum) capture of Mosquitoes of Middle America collection Mosquitoes of Middle America collection recordsrecords

• Grants for scanning literature and alcohol Grants for scanning literature and alcohol collection maintenancecollection maintenance

• Facilities, services, collection Facilities, services, collection infrastructure support, etc…infrastructure support, etc…

• Use of sequencing resources of Use of sequencing resources of Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB)Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB)

• Emu (Electronic Museum) capture of Emu (Electronic Museum) capture of Mosquitoes of Middle America collection Mosquitoes of Middle America collection recordsrecords

• Grants for scanning literature and alcohol Grants for scanning literature and alcohol collection maintenancecollection maintenance

Components needed for Components needed for systematics research and systematics research and taxonomic identificationstaxonomic identifications

Components needed for Components needed for systematics research and systematics research and taxonomic identificationstaxonomic identifications

• PersonnelPersonnel

• CollectionCollection

• LiteratureLiterature

• PersonnelPersonnel

• CollectionCollection

• LiteratureLiterature

PersonnelPersonnelWRBUWRBU

PersonnelPersonnelWRBUWRBU

• Dr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/CuratorDr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/Curator

• Dr. Pollie Rueda, Research Entomologist/CuratorDr. Pollie Rueda, Research Entomologist/Curator

• Mr. Tom Gaffigan, Biol. Sci. Lab. Tech Mr. Tom Gaffigan, Biol. Sci. Lab. Tech

• Mr. Jim Pecor, Biol. Sci. Lab. TechMr. Jim Pecor, Biol. Sci. Lab. Tech

• Army Officer - MAJ Mark PotterArmy Officer - MAJ Mark Potter

• Contract technicians, illustrator, post docs, visiting Contract technicians, illustrator, post docs, visiting scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, volunteersvolunteers

• Dr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/CuratorDr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/Curator

• Dr. Pollie Rueda, Research Entomologist/CuratorDr. Pollie Rueda, Research Entomologist/Curator

• Mr. Tom Gaffigan, Biol. Sci. Lab. Tech Mr. Tom Gaffigan, Biol. Sci. Lab. Tech

• Mr. Jim Pecor, Biol. Sci. Lab. TechMr. Jim Pecor, Biol. Sci. Lab. Tech

• Army Officer - MAJ Mark PotterArmy Officer - MAJ Mark Potter

• Contract technicians, illustrator, post docs, visiting Contract technicians, illustrator, post docs, visiting scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, volunteersvolunteers

WRBUWRBUWRBUWRBU

• Large mosquito systematics reprint Large mosquito systematics reprint collectioncollection

• Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) mosquito collection (about 1.5 mosquito collection (about 1.5 million specimens)million specimens)

• Large mosquito systematics reprint Large mosquito systematics reprint collectioncollection

• Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) mosquito collection (about 1.5 mosquito collection (about 1.5 million specimens)million specimens)

Primary projectsPrimary projectsPrimary projectsPrimary projects• Identification tools for medically important mosquitoes Identification tools for medically important mosquitoes

of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM (Africa) Areas of Responsibility(Africa) Areas of Responsibility– Lucid keysLucid keys– Species pagesSpecies pages– Updating catalog, reprints, pdfs, webUpdating catalog, reprints, pdfs, web

• Identification tools for medically important sand flies Identification tools for medically important sand flies of the CENTCOM Areas of Responsibilityof the CENTCOM Areas of Responsibility– Lucid keysLucid keys– Species pagesSpecies pages– New catalogNew catalog

• Modeling the potential distribution of vectorsModeling the potential distribution of vectors

• Identification tools for medically important mosquitoes Identification tools for medically important mosquitoes of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM (Africa) Areas of Responsibility(Africa) Areas of Responsibility– Lucid keysLucid keys– Species pagesSpecies pages– Updating catalog, reprints, pdfs, webUpdating catalog, reprints, pdfs, web

• Identification tools for medically important sand flies Identification tools for medically important sand flies of the CENTCOM Areas of Responsibilityof the CENTCOM Areas of Responsibility– Lucid keysLucid keys– Species pagesSpecies pages– New catalogNew catalog

• Modeling the potential distribution of vectorsModeling the potential distribution of vectors

Fig. 5. Anopheles sinensis Wiedemann(red dots, occurrence points; blue areas, predicted distributionin South Korea).

Fig. 8. Anopheles minimus Theobald A (red dots, occurrence points; blue areas, predicted distribution in Southeast Asia).

MosquitoMap logowww.mosquitomap.org ----website being developed to host global mosquito occurrence data and mosquito distribution models.

Current ProjectsCurrent ProjectsCurrent ProjectsCurrent Projects

• Neotropical Neotropical AnophelesAnopheles- An. (Nys.) albitarsisAn. (Nys.) albitarsis complex complex

((marajoaramarajoara))- An. (Nys.) oswaldoiAn. (Nys.) oswaldoi complex complex- An. (Nys.) triannulatusAn. (Nys.) triannulatus complex complex- An. (Ano.) cruciansAn. (Ano.) crucians complex* complex*- Review of Review of AnAn. subgenus . subgenus KertesziaKerteszia

• Korean/China malaria vectorsKorean/China malaria vectors• Application of molecular tools for solution Application of molecular tools for solution

of taxonomic problems and development of taxonomic problems and development of diagnosticsof diagnostics

• Neotropical Neotropical AnophelesAnopheles- An. (Nys.) albitarsisAn. (Nys.) albitarsis complex complex

((marajoaramarajoara))- An. (Nys.) oswaldoiAn. (Nys.) oswaldoi complex complex- An. (Nys.) triannulatusAn. (Nys.) triannulatus complex complex- An. (Ano.) cruciansAn. (Ano.) crucians complex* complex*- Review of Review of AnAn. subgenus . subgenus KertesziaKerteszia

• Korean/China malaria vectorsKorean/China malaria vectors• Application of molecular tools for solution Application of molecular tools for solution

of taxonomic problems and development of taxonomic problems and development of diagnosticsof diagnostics

An. kleini Rueda An. belenrae Rueda

Current Projects/ActivitiesCurrent Projects/ActivitiesCurrent Projects/ActivitiesCurrent Projects/Activities• Vector Identification Service (VIS)Vector Identification Service (VIS)

• Support of malaria, dengue, repellent studiesSupport of malaria, dengue, repellent studies• Collaborations in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Collaborations in Brazil, Peru, Mexico,

Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, GeorgiaGeorgia

• Collection curationCollection curation• Lab and basic identification trainingLab and basic identification training• Training of DOD entomologistsTraining of DOD entomologists

• Vector Identification Service (VIS)Vector Identification Service (VIS)

• Support of malaria, dengue, repellent studiesSupport of malaria, dengue, repellent studies• Collaborations in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Collaborations in Brazil, Peru, Mexico,

Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, GeorgiaGeorgia

• Collection curationCollection curation• Lab and basic identification trainingLab and basic identification training• Training of DOD entomologistsTraining of DOD entomologists

Current Projects/ActivitiesCurrent Projects/ActivitiesCurrent Projects/ActivitiesCurrent Projects/Activities• Mosquito/Sand fly* Systematics Information

Resource- Update/publish mosquito/sand fly* taxonomic

catalog- Scan all systematics literature- Make all literature available in digital format- Annotate catalog to allow retrieval of keys and

other identification materials by country, region or mosquito group

- Convert catalog into a database- Web page development -- access to all literature,

field and lab protocols, identification aids and services

• Mosquito/Sand fly* Systematics Information Resource- Update/publish mosquito/sand fly* taxonomic

catalog- Scan all systematics literature- Make all literature available in digital format- Annotate catalog to allow retrieval of keys and

other identification materials by country, region or mosquito group

- Convert catalog into a database- Web page development -- access to all literature,

field and lab protocols, identification aids and services

Website -Website - Website -Website -

• http://wrbu.orghttp://wrbu.org• http://wrbu.orghttp://wrbu.org

http://wrbu.org/

http://www.mosquitocatalog.orghttp://www.mosquitocatalog.org

Web-identification keys

• Please try running our keys to ID your mosquito specimens

• Keys – still in a “beta format”; need further expert/user reviews and corrections before the final format.

• Email us any corrections, comments, etc to improve the keys, and the website as a whole. Contact the webmaster (click), Pollie Rueda (ruedapol@si.edu) or Rick Wilkerson (wilkersonr@si.edu)