Mondulkiri Province Research Articles

Malaria risk factors amongst forest going populations in Mondulkiri Province and Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia: a large cross-sectional survey.

Cambodia strives to eliminate all species of human malaria by 2025, requiring that foci among forest-exposed populations in remote settings be addressed. This study explores malaria risk factors amongst forest-exposed groups in Mondulkiri and Kampong Speu Provinces, Cambodia as part of a multi-stage study on novel bite prevention tools (Project BITE). A serial cross-sectional survey explored the demographics, housing structure openness, mosquito bite prevention habits, and gaps in protection amongst three target groups: forest goers who work in the forest, forest dwellers who live in the forest, and forest rangers who patrol forested regions. Malaria prevalence data was collected at three time points using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for febrile individuals and qPCR for all participants. Infection locations and travel patterns of P. falciparum-infected individuals were analyzed for clustering and the potential movement of infections. 2,935 participants were enrolled between October 2022 and February 2023, consisting of 1,093 (37%) forest goers and 1,787 (61%) forest dwellers across both provinces, and 55 (5%) forest rangers in Mondulkiri province. Most worked outdoors as farmers, day laborers, and forest collectors, and reported going to the forest five to seven days a week. For housing, 29% and 39% of participants reported living in partially open primary and secondary structures, respectively. The main methods of mosquito bite protection used were insecticide-treated nets, wearing long sleeves, and burning mosquito coils, with gaps in protection during the daytime and outside at night. All febrile individuals had negative RDT test results. For qPCR, 24 P. falciparum infections (<1%) were detected among forest goers and dwellers, clustered in Pu Trom and Pu Nhav villages in Mondulkiri Province, and Banteay Roka and Banteay Roka Kirisenchey (M) villages in Kampong Speu Province. P. vivax cases were detected (216 cases, 5%) across all enrolled villages. Only two infections were found in forest rangers. Malaria elimination strategies for forest-exposed populations in Cambodia should focus on vector intervention strategies that offer protection during the day and outside at night, and the use of drug-based strategies to clear subpatent infections, targeting forest goers and dwellers in villages where cases are detected.

Field evaluation of a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent and etofenprox treated clothing for outdoor protection against forest malaria vectors in Cambodia

Cambodia’s goal to eliminate malaria by 2025 is challenged by persistent transmission in forest and forest fringe areas, where people are exposed to Anopheles mosquito bites during the day and night. Volatile pyrethroid spatial repellents (VPSRs) and insecticide-treated clothing (ITC) could address these gaps. This study evaluated the outdoor application of one passive transfluthrin-based VPSR, four etofenprox-ITCs paired with a picaridin topical repellent, and a combination of VPSR and ITC against wild Anopheles landing in Cambodia. A 7 × 7 Latin-square study was conducted over 49 collection nights in temporary open structures in Mondulkiri Province. All interventions substantially reduced Anopheles landing, with protective efficacy ranging from 61 to 95%. Mathematical modeling showed significant reductions in vectoral capacity, especially with the combined ITC and VPSR and VPSR alone, albeit with decreased effectiveness over time. These interventions have the potential to reduce outdoor and daytime Anopheles biting, offering valuable contributions to malaria elimination efforts in Cambodia and the Greater Mekong Subregion, contingent upon achieving effective coverage and adherence.

Estimating the Size of Populations at High Risk of Malaria in 2 Operational Districts in Cambodia: Household-Based Survey.

Cambodia is targeting the elimination of malaria by 2025. The last remaining pockets of malaria in Cambodia are concentrated among populations exposed to forested areas, but the size of these populations is not well understood. To plan for the procurement and distribution of vector-control tools, chemoprophylaxis, and other commodities for malaria prevention and surveillance, robust estimates of the population at greatest risk are required. This study aims to estimate the number of forest-exposed individuals residing in Cambodia's highest-burden operational districts (ODs) in 2 provinces with active malaria transmission. In April 2023, a multistage, in-person survey was conducted among residents in the 2 ODs in Cambodia with the highest malaria burden: Sen Monorom in Mondulkiri province and Phnom Srouch in Kampong Speu province. In each OD, 10 villages were randomly selected, and 35 households were randomly selected from each village. To estimate the number of individuals at high risk of malaria-defined as residing within 1 km of a forest or traveling at least once per week to the forest-respondents were asked about the distance from their household to the nearest forested area, and their travel patterns to forested areas. To account for mobility (ie, to avoid double-counting), respondents also provided information on overnight stays at other households in the selected villages in the past month. In the 4 selected villages in Sen Monorom OD where Project BITE forest packs (an intervention in the larger research program) had been distributed prior to the survey, respondents were also asked questions to determine if they had received such a pack, to develop smaller scale "multiplier method" estimates of at-risk individuals in each of those villages. In Sen Monorom, 138 households and 872 individuals were enrolled in the survey, and in Phnom Srouch, 163 households and 844 individuals were enrolled. The estimated percentage of female householders was 49.7% (852/1716) across both ODs; the median age was 22 (IQR 12-37) years in Sen Monorom and 24.5 (IQR 16.0-40.5) years in Phnom Srouch (total age range 3-86). Based on mobility-adjusted survey estimates alone, 32% (280/706; 95% CI 19.9-47.2) of residents in Sen Monorom (an estimated 12,133-20,135 individuals) and 36% (68/198; 95% CI 24.5-45.5) of residents in Phnom Srouch (an estimated 1717-2203 individuals), met risk criteria for forest exposure. Between 125 and 186 individuals were estimated to be at risk in each of the 4 villages where the multiplier method could be applied. This study provides estimates of the number of individuals potentially at high risk for malaria infection due to forest exposure in 2 ODs in Cambodia. These estimates can support planning for malaria control and elimination efforts. The straightforward methods of household surveys and multipliers should be feasible for many national malaria control programs.

Applying the COM-B behaviour change model to a pilot study delivering volatile pyrethroid spatial repellents and insecticide-treated clothing to forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia

BackgroundSoutheast Asia is making tremendous progress towards their 2030 malaria elimination goal but needs new interventions to stop forest malaria. This study trials two new vector control tools, a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent (VPSR) and insecticide-treated clothing (ITC), amongst forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province Cambodia to inform their potential use for eliminating forest malaria.Methods21 forest-exposed individuals were given a questionnaire on their perceptions of malaria and preventive practices used, after which they trialed two products sequentially. Clothes was treated with ITC by the study team. Mixed methods were used to understand their experience, attitudes, and preferences regarding the products trialed. Quantitative data was summarized and qualitative insights were analysed using thematic analysis, applying the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behaviour Change (COM-B) model and Behaviour Change Wheel Framework to identify intervention functions to support tailored product rollout amongst these populations.ResultsStudy participants reported a need for protection from mosquito bites in outdoor and forest-exposed settings and perceived both products trialed to be effective for this purpose. The VPSR product was preferred when travel was not required, whereas ITC was preferred for ease of use when going to the forest, especially in rainy conditions. COM-B analysis identified that key enablers for use of both products included their perceived efficacy and ease of use, which required no skill or preparation. For barriers to use, the odour of ITC was sometimes perceived as being toxic, as well as its inability to protect uncovered skin from mosquito bites, while the perceived usefulness of the VPSR product trialed was limited by its water sensitivity in rainy forest settings. Intervention components to encourage appropriate and sustained use of these products include education about how to use these products and what to expect, persuasion to use them from community leaders and targeted channels, and enablement to facilitate convenient and affordable access.ConclusionThe rollout of VPSRs and ITC amongst forest-exposed populations can be useful for eliminating malaria in Southeast Asia. Study findings can be applied to increase product uptake among forest exposed populations in Cambodia, while manufacturers can aim to develop products that are rainproof, easy to use in forest settings, and have favourable odour profiles to target users.

An active and targeted survey reveals asymptomatic malaria infections among high-risk populations in Mondulkiri, Cambodia

BackgroundMalaria is a mosquito-borne disease that is one of the most serious public health issues globally and a leading cause of mortality in many developing countries worldwide. Knowing the prevalence of both symptomatic and asymptomatic malaria on a subnational scale allows for the estimation of the burden of parasitaemia present in the transmission system, enabling targeting and tailoring of resources towards greater impact and better use of available capacity. This study aimed to determine the PCR-based point prevalence of malaria infection, by parasite species, among three high-risk populations in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia: forest rangers, forest dwellers, and forest goers.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was performed during the transmission season in November and December 2021. Blood samples collected on filter paper from participants (n = 1301) from all target groups were screened for Plasmodium spp using PCR.ResultsMalaria prevalence among all study participants was 6.7% for any Plasmodium species. Malaria prevalence in the forest ranger group was 8.1%, was 6.8% in forest goers, and 6.4% in forest dwellers; all infections were asymptomatic. Plasmodium vivax was detected in all participant groups, while the few Plasmodium falciparum infections were found in goers and dwellers. 81% of all infections were due to P. vivax, 9% were due to P. falciparum, 3% due to Plasmodium cynomolgi, and the rest (7%) remained undefined. Gender was associated with malaria infection prevalence, with male participants having higher odds of malaria infection than female participants (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.08–2.64). Passively collected malaria incidence data from the Cambodian government were also investigated. Health facility-reported malaria cases, based on rapid diagnostic tests, for the period Jan-Dec 2021 were 521 Plasmodium vivax (0.89% prevalence), 34 P. falciparum (0.06%) and four P. falciparum + mixed (0.01%)—a total of 559 cases (0.95%) for all of Mondulkiri.ConclusionThis reservoir of asymptomatic parasitaemia may be perpetuating low levels of transmission, and thus, new strategies are required to realize the goal of eliminating malaria in Cambodia by 2025.

Land use and land cover change implications on agriculture and natural resource management of Koah Nheaek, Mondulkiri province, Cambodia

Monitoring and mapping land use and land cover (LULC) changes is crucial for determining plausible resource availability in the future, and for providing policy implications towards the landscape's sustainable management. The LULC changes brought by economic land concessions and high deforestation are common issues in Koah Nheaek of the Mondulkiri province, distressing the sustainability of linked natural resources and agroecosystems. Determining its landscape's occurred changes and projection are vital inputs to succeeding policy programs as Koah Nheaek implements the Rectangle 4 (i.e., inclusive and sustainable development) of the Rectangular Strategy Phase IV (2018-2023). In this study, the LULC changes (2000-2020) in Koah Nheaek were analyzed using Google Earth Engine (i.e., the random forest). Corresponding to the LULC dynamics concept, forest had the highest loss (37% change) while wood shrub, grassland, orchard, and agriculture land gained a significant increase. In addition to the loss during the last 20 years, the forest was again degraded about 16% based on the 2030 projection using Markov-CA model. On the other hand, using General Linear Method, the trajectories and projection were supported by the inputs from focus group discussion of stakeholders. For this regression analysis, significant factors influencing decisions for current and future agricultural expansion included the household size and the inheritable parcel size. Upon this biophysical and social evidence, the Rectangle 4 implementation is recommended to be strictly enhanced to achieve its goals. This study suggests sustainable land measures (Good Agricultural Practices, Climate Smart Agriculture, Comprehensive Land Use Planning, and Agroforestry) to balance and manage land uses as a key to sustainability.

Traditional Khmer Medicine and its role in wildlife use in modern-day Cambodia

Individuals across Cambodia depend on the use of natural products in Traditional Khmer Medicine (TKM), a traditional medicine system in Cambodia that has been practiced for hundreds of years. Cambodia is rich in fauna and flora species, many of which have been, and continue to be, traded domestically for traditional medicine use. Combined with other known exploitative practices, such as snaring for wild meat consumption and international trade in wildlife, domestic trade in wildlife medicine threatens populations of regional conservation importance. Here, we provide an updated understanding about how TKM is practiced in modern times; how TKM practices are transmitted and adapted; and roles of wildlife part remedies in TKM historically and presently. We conducted semi-structured interviews with TKM practitioners in Stung Treng, Mondulkiri Province, and at the National Center for Traditional Medicine in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. TKM is generally practiced in the private sector and is mostly informal, without enrollment in any academic training. TKM practitioner roles commonly involve collecting, preparing, selling, and advising on medicine, rather than providing direct treatment. Over half of the interviewed TKM practitioners (57.6%) were still prescribing wildlife parts as medicine over the past 5 years, with 28 species of wild animals reported. Lorises and porcupine were the wildlife products cited as being in highest demand in TKM, primarily prescribed for women’s illnesses such as post-partum fatigue (Toas and Sawsaye kchey). However, the supply of wildlife products sourced from the wild was reported to have dropped in the 5 years prior to the survey, which represents an opportunity to reduce prescription of threatened wildlife. We suggest that our results be used to inform tailored demand reduction interventions designed to encourage greater reliance on biomedicine and non-threatened plants, particularly in rural areas where use of biomedicine may still be limited.

Subaltern soldiers: Overshadowed Bunong highlanders in the Khmer Republic's army, 1970–75

Little is known about Cambodia's highland minorities during the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese communists were infiltrating their homelands on the ground and American bombers attacking them from the sky. When inhabitants of the northeastern regions are mentioned in histories about the Khmer Rouge's coming to power, it is mainly as bodyguards of Pol Pot, who represented them as remnants of an uncorrupted ‘primitive democracy’. However, stories heard in the highlands raise different narratives, notably those of Bunong men and their families who left Mondulkiri province for Phnom Penh, where they enlisted in the weak pro-American Khmer Republic's army. These stories, told by the few who survived the mission and by the many who lost relatives to it, complicate the history of this convoluted period by bringing to light the Bunongs’ previously unmentioned involvement within the Forces Armées Nationales Khmères. Neither visceral rebels, nor unconditional allies, these Cambodian highlanders were and still are complex actors, whose engagements constitute a much-needed disturbance of dominant (historical) records.

Seasonal effects of natural attenuation on drainage contamination from artisanal gold mining, Cambodia: Implication for passive treatment

In Mondulkiri province, Cambodia, artisanal gold miners dump tailings and wastewater from gold processing into a tributary of the Prek Te River. In the rainy season, heavy metal concentrations in the tributary decrease below the WHO drinking water standard levels through natural attenuation; however, this does not occur in the dry season. To further understand the natural attenuation mechanism, detailed analyses of the wastewater from tailing and tributary water, tributary sediments, waste rock, and ore minerals were undertaken in both seasons. The high concentration of dissolved Fe in the contaminated tributary plays a significant role in As removal during the rainy season, whereas other elements such as Ni, Se, and Cu concentration decrease due to dilution. Schwertmannite formation, controlled by iron-oxidizing bacteria, was only found at the bottom of the tributary during the rainy season. In the dry season, As, Ni, Se, and Cu concentrations remained at their original levels because there was no formation of schwertmannite or dilution by rainwater. The existing schwertmannite also starts to dissolve as the pH decreases. Seasonal dynamics cause the failure of natural attenuation; thus, methods for maintaining its effectiveness in the dry season are needed. In addition, geochemical modeling was conducted to determine the significant roles of schwertmannite formation and dilution of rainwater in the tributary. Schwertmannite is a potential adsorbent for As removal from drainage. However, dilution provided indirect and direct impacts on the tributary, such as increasing the pH and diluting the concentration of toxic elements.

Indigenous peoples’ responses to land exclusions: emotions, affective links and power relations

Drawing on ethnographic research, this paper discusses indigenous peoples’ emotional responses to land exclusions in two Bunong villages, Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia. We examine how villagers responded to land exclusions brought about by both state-sponsored conservation and economic land concessions. To understand their responses, we work with the concept of emotions as an embodiment of both personal and collective experiences, to draw attention to the range of feelings, thoughts and expressions that emerge during environmental conflicts. Where local responses to land exclusions appear successful in changing the impact of land exclusions in favour of indigenous peoples, we find that both positive and negative emotions, especially those of local leaders, are important. Further, collective emotional responses to prevent continued land encroachments can shift the power of state actors by subjecting them to the embodied demonstrative strength of community demands. The power dynamics shows how attention to emotions provides a deeper understanding of seemingly contradictory responses by indigenous peoples to land exclusions. We conclude by returning to the importance of local leadership because while collective emotions can be positive catalysts for initiating, empowering and keeping the momentum of a movement, individual leaders need to be comfortable with embodying their own, often contradictory, emotions.

Forest malaria in Cambodia: the occupational and spatial clustering of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum infection risk in a cross-sectional survey in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia

BackgroundAfter a marked reduction in malaria burden in Cambodia over the last decades, case numbers increased again in 2017–2018. In light of the national goal of malaria elimination by 2025, remaining pockets of high risk need to be well defined and strategies well-tailored to identify and target the persisting burden cost-effectively. This study presents species-specific prevalence estimates and risk stratification for a remote area in Cambodia.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 17 villages in the high-incidence province Mondulkiri in the dry season (December 2017 to April 2018). 4200 randomly selected participants (2–80 years old) were tested for Plasmodium infection by PCR. Risk of infection was associated with questionnaire-derived covariates and spatially stratified based on household GPS coordinates.ResultsThe prevalence of PCR-detectable Plasmodium infection was 8.3% (349/4200) and was more than twice as high for Plasmodium vivax (6.4%, 268) than for Plasmodium falciparum (3.0%, 125, p < 0.001). 97.8% (262/268) of P. vivax and 92.8% (116/125, p < 0.05) of P. falciparum infections were neither accompanied by symptoms at the time of the interview nor detected by microscopy or RDT. Recent travels to forest sites (aOR 2.17, p < 0.01) and forest work (aOR 2.88, p < 0.001) were particularly strong risk factors and risk profiles for both species were similar. Large village-level differences in prevalence of Plasmodium infection were observed, ranging from 0.6% outside the forest to 40.4% inside. Residing in villages at the forest fringe or inside the forest compared to outside was associated with risk of infection (aOR 2.14 and 12.47, p < 0.001). Villages inside the forest formed spatial hotspots of infection despite adjustment for the other risk factors.ConclusionsPersisting pockets of high malaria risk were detected in forested areas and in sub-populations engaging in forest-related activities. High levels of asymptomatic infections suggest the need of better case detection plans and the predominance of P. vivax the implementation of radical cure. In villages inside the forest, within-village exposure was indicated in addition to risk due to forest activities. Village-level stratification of targeted interventions based on forest proximity could render the elimination efforts more cost-effective and successful.

A Decade of Communal Land Titling in Cambodia: Achievements and Ways Forward

It is widely acknowledged that there are 24 indigenous groups (IPs) in Cambodia. These groups are concentrated in north eastern provinces of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, Kratie and Preah Vihear, where they have lived for many generations. They are also present elsewhere in the country. IPs’ rights in Cambodia, particularly rights to land resources have been legally recognized in the Land Law 2001 (Article 23 to 28). Further, Sub-decree No. 83 (2009) on the ‘Procedure of Communal Land Title Registration’, aligned with the Forestry Law (2002), and the Protected Area Law (2009) provides detailed guidelines on how Indigenous Peoples may register communal land. During the early 2010s, a communal land titling project was piloted in two Indigenous communities in Ratanakiri and another in Mondulkiri province, with the assistance of the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) and Danish International Development Agency (Danida). These communities obtained communal land titles (CLTs) over a period between 2011 and 2013. Since 2013, the Royal Government of Cambodia has financially supported the CLTs through the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction (MLMUPC). By December 2019, the MLMUPC had received 68 applications for the registration of communal land titles by different Indigenous communities. Of these applicants, 30 had received CLTs. After almost a decade of implementing CLTs registration project, Cambodia has performed relatively well within the Southeast Asian context in terms of recognizing the rights of Indigenous people to land resources. However, the land titling process needs to be simplified, if the time taken to issue CLTs is to be reduced. Technical challenges related to the preliminary mapping process often delay decisions about the allocation of land within protected areas to Indigenous communities.

Description of a female and variation of Microgomphus alani Kosterin, 2016(Odonata: Gomphidae) in Cambodia, with a note on sexual dimorphism inMicrogomphus spp.

Microgomphus alani Kosterin, 2016 was described from two teneral males from the Cardamom Mts. in SW Cambodia; it turned out that the description was based on the holotype with the anal appendages not fully expanded. Further specimens of M. alani (all mature) are reported: a male and two females from the Phnom Kulen Mts, NW Cambodia and five males and one female from Mondulkiri Province, E Cambodia. The appendage shape in mature males is illustrated and discussed and the female is described for the first time. The specimens from E Cambodia are ca 15-20% larger than those from SW and NW Cambodia and exhibit some differences in the shapes of the male epiproct and anterior hamulus and face maculation, however evaluated as insufficient to erect a new taxon. A hitherto neglected manifestation of sexual dimorphism in probably most Microgomphus spp. and at least some Heliogomphus spp. is pointed out. It concerns the mid- and metafemur, in males armed with numerous, dense and small spinulets but with two rows of long, sparse spines in females. An earlier report of Microgomphus jurzitzai Karube, 2000 for Cambodia was based on a misidentified M. alani specimen and is cancelled. A female specimen earlier identified and described from Thailand as Heliogomphus selysi Fraser, 1925 most probably was M. alani as well.

A tale of two networks: Market formation on the Cambodia–Vietnam frontier

Although South‐East Asia's trading networks have existed for millennia, recent decades have seen markets dramatically intensify in the region's frontiers, bringing social and environmental upheaval. Within political ecology, such transitions are framed as frontier incorporation into global capitalism – a process that has been ongoing since European colonisation. This paper, however, responds to recent calls for commodity network studies to better account for specific material and social variances in “actually existing capitalism.” My analysis focuses on Mondulkiri province in north‐eastern Cambodia, where a boom in cassava cultivation has produced two distinct commodity networks. The first network supplies dried cassava chips to trans‐border markets that serve bioethanol and livestock production. The second network supplies fresh cassava to Vietnamese starch and processed food factories. In order to understand why two market networks have evolved from one crop, I analyse the social, material and spatial relationships in each network. Comparative analysis shows that both networks involve land and labour commodification and respond to global demand. Yet subtle geographical variations in transport networks, migration patterns and the availability of uncleared land, support dried cassava production in some areas and fresh cassava in others. The cassava case shows that although frontier markets are propelled by globally connected processes of commodification, they ultimately take form through co‐productive networks that mould to and shape frontier landscapes. Furthermore, market networks are not only mobilised, but also can be demobilised by environmental, economic and social pressures – a point that frontier incorporation perspectives may overlook. The paper therefore argues for an understanding of frontier geographies as dynamic and constitutive in market formation.

Rediscovery of Lestes nigriceps Fraser, 1924 (Odonata: Lestidae) in eastern Cambodia.

Lestes nigriceps Fraser, 1924 was described from a male (later the lectotype) and two non-conspecific females collected in 1922 at Pusa, Bihar State, India, and has never been reported since. In June 2018 a population of L. nigriceps was unexpectedly found in eastern Cambodia, Mondulkiri Province. The Cambodian males, their variation and, for the first time, the true female of L. nigriceps is described.

Impact of Government Policies and Corporate Land Grabs on Indigenous People’s Access to Common Lands and Livelihood Resilience in Northeast Cambodia

Cambodia has become a principal target of transnational (and domestic) land grabs over the past decade, mostly in the form of economic land concessions (ELCs). The northeastern part of the country—where the majority of Cambodia’s indigenous people reside—is a particular hotspot. In this article, we discuss three policy mechanisms that the Cambodian government has employed to extend and legitimize land exclusions in the name of national economic development through the example of two indigenous villages in Srae Preah Commune, Mondulkiri Province. First, we show how the allocation of two ELCs has deprived indigenous communities of their communally managed land. Second, we examine how communal land titling processes have failed to provide indigenous villagers with effective legal mechanisms to counteract ELCs and land encroachment by internal migrants. Third, we elucidate how the promotion of cash crop production contributed to livelihood and land use transitions from a reliance on forest resources in 2003 to a dependence on cash crops in 2012 to a struggle to remain resilient amid a slump in crop prices in 2018. We conclude that the combination of these policies has undermined communal ownership and livelihood resilience under a situation of limited exit strategies.

A new species of smooth skink (Squamata: Scincidae: Scincella) from Cambodia.

Based on morphological and genetic evidence we evaluated the taxonomic status of a newly discovered forest-dwelling population of skink (genus Scincella) from the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia. From phylogenetic analysis of a 668-bp fragment of the mtDNA COI and diagnostic morphological characters we allocate the newly discovered population to the Scincella reevesii–S. rufocaudata species complex and describe it as Scincella nigrofasciata sp. nov. The new skink species can be distinguished from all other Southeast Asian congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: snout-vent length (SVL) 40.0–52.6 mm; relative tail length (TaL/SVL ratio) 1.25–1.94; prefrontals in broad contact; infralabials 6; primary temporals 2; relative forelimb length (FIL/SVL ratio) 0.20–0.22; relative hindlimb length (HIL/SVL ratio) 0.30–0.33; relative forearm length (FoL/SVL ratio) 0.14–0.16; adpressed forelimbs and hind limbs either overlapping (0.4–2.2 mm) or separated (1.9–2.3 mm); midbody scale rows 32–33, paravertebral scales 69–74, vertebral scales 65–69; dorsal scales between dorsolateral stripes 8; comparatively slender fingers and toes, subdigital lamellae under fourth toe 15–17; dark discontinuous regular dorsal stripes 5–7; distinct black dorsolateral stripes, narrowing to lateral sides and extending to 52%–86% of total tail length. We provide additional information on the holotype of Scincella rufocaudata (Darevsky & Nguyen, 1983), and provide evidence for the species status of Scincella rupicola. Our discovery brings the number of Scincella species in Cambodia to five and emphasizes the incompleteness of knowledge on the herpetofaunal diversity of this country.

Coeliccia rolandorum sp. nov. from eastern Cambodia and southern Vietnam, the eastern relative of C. kazukoae Asahina, 1984 (Odonata: Platycnemididae).

Coeliccia rolandorum sp. nov. is described from the eastern Cambodia (holotype: Cambodia, Mondulkiri Province, Buu Sraa Waterfall environs, 12°34' N 107°24' E, ~780 m a.s.l., 16 June 2014, RMNH) and southern and central Vietnam. It is related to C. kazukoae, which is known from the Cardamom and Sankamphaeng Mts., and replaces it in eastern Indochina. New distributional data on C. kazukoae are presented and its characters are discussed with respect to their change with age.

Field assessment of a novel spatial repellent for malaria control: a feasibility and acceptability study in Mondulkiri, Cambodia

BackgroundLarge-scale use of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying have contributed to a significant decrease in malaria transmission worldwide. Further reduction and progress towards elimination, however, require complementary control measures which can address the remaining gaps in protection from mosquito bites. Following the development of novel pyrethroids with high knockdown effects on malaria vectors, programmatic use of spatial repellents has been suggested as one potential strategy to fill the gaps. This report explores social and contextual factors that may influence the relevance, uptake and sustainable use of a spatial repellent in two remote villages in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia, with endemic malaria transmission. The repellent consisted of polyethylene emanators, held in an open plastic frame and impregnated with 10% metofluthrin.ResultsIn a baseline survey, 90.9% of households in Ou Chra (n = 30/33) and 96.6% in Pu Cha (n = 57/59) were interviewed. Behavioural data were collected for all household occupants (n = 448). In both villages, there were times and places in which people remained exposed to mosquito bites. Prior to the installation of the repellent, 50.6 and 59.5% of respondents noted that bites occurred “very often” inside the house and in the outdoor area surrounding the house, respectively. Indoor biting was reported to occur more frequently in the evening, followed by at night, while outdoor biting occurred more frequently in the early morning. In a follow-up survey, spatial repellents were well received in both villages, although 63.2% of respondents would not replace bed nets with repellents. Most participants (96.6%) were willing to use the product again; the mean willingness to pay was US$ 0.3 per unit. A preference for local procurement methods emerged.ConclusionWidespread use of spatial repellents would not fill all protective gaps, but, if their entomological efficacy can be ascertained, outdoor application has the potential to enhance vector control strategies in Cambodia. Successful implementation would require subsidisation and integration with the existing national malaria control strategy. It is hoped that this study, while contributing to a better understanding of the social contexts of residual malaria transmission, will generate further interest in the evaluation of spatial repellents for malaria control.

Reconsideration of the genera Merogomphus Martin, 1904, and Anisogomphus Selys, 1857, including erection of a new genus, with a new species and discussion of additional specimens from Cambodia.

In the current sense, Merogomphus Martin, 1904, is an artificial genus. It includes two unrelated groups of species: those with lyrate cerci with or without an outer spine and those with simple cerci, plus two species with large and broad epiproct branches placed in Merogomphus obviously in error. At the same time a number of species similar and obviously related to the former group were described from China in the genus Anisogomphus Selys, 1857. To resolve this taxonomic tangle, the genus Merogomphus is restricted to include only species with lyrate cerci: M pavici (Martin, 1904) (the type species), M. longistigmus (Fraser, 1922), M. vandykei (Needham, 1930), M. femoralis (Laidlaw, 1931), M. vespertinus (Chao, 1999) and M. torpens (Needham, 1930). A new genus Euthygomphus (type species: Platygomphus martini Fraser, 1922) is erected to contain species with simple cerci and moderately divergent epiproct branches, formerly attributed to either Merogomphus or Anisogomphus: Euthygomphus parvus (Krüger, 1899) comb. nov., E. martini (Fraser, 1922) comb. nov., E. koxingai Chao, 1954 comb. nov., E. chaoi Liu 1991 comb. nov., E. jinggangshanus Liu, 1991 comb. nov., E. yunnanensis Zhou et Wu, 1992 comb. nov. Euthygomphus schorri Kosterin, 2016, sp. nov. is described (type locality: Cambodia, Mondulkiri Province, 3.5-3.8 km ESE of Sen Monorom, holotype in RMNH), A new synonymy Merogomphus chaoi Yang & Davies, 1993 = Anisogomphus pinratani Hämäläinen, 1991, and a new combination Anisogomphus tamdaoensis (Karube, 2001) comb. nov. are proposed [corrected]. The published records of 'Merogomphus parvus' from Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Vietnam are reidentified as E. yunnanensis, and new records and illustrations of this species from Cambodia are provided.