WRBU: “Know The Vector, 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 Office address: WRBU, Smithsonian Institution 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD 20746

The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Department of Entomology, DCD&I, WRAIR Basic and applied systematics research on mosquitoes of medical importance.Basic and applied systematics research on mosquitoes of medical importance.

Primary Activities and Goals Morphological and molecular systematics research on vector species and vector species groupsMorphological and molecular systematics research on vector species and vector species groups Provide identification resources in paper and electronic formatsProvide identification resources in paper and electronic formats Provide identifications to DODProvide identifications to DOD Curate the National Mosquito CollectionCurate the National Mosquito Collection Support DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, repellent trials - provide quality control on identificationsSupport DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, repellent trials - provide quality control on identifications Morphological and molecular systematics research on vector species and vector species groupsMorphological and molecular systematics research on vector species and vector species groups Provide identification resources in paper and electronic formatsProvide identification resources in paper and electronic formats Provide identifications to DODProvide identifications to DOD Curate the National Mosquito CollectionCurate the National Mosquito Collection Support DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, repellent trials - provide quality control on identificationsSupport DOD research, e.g. arbovirus surveys, repellent trials - provide quality control on identifications

HistoryHistory 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 adjunct personnel and collaboratorsApproximately 18 military officers, 11 civilians, 32 adjunct personnel and collaborators  409+ 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 adjunct personnel and collaboratorsApproximately 18 military officers, 11 civilians, 32 adjunct personnel and collaborators  409+ publications; 12,000+ pages

Collaboration with Smithsonian Facilities, services, collection infrastructure support, etc…Facilities, services, collection infrastructure support, etc… Use of sequencing resources of Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB)Use of sequencing resources of Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB) Emu (Electronic Museum) capture of Mosquitoes of Middle America collection recordsEmu (Electronic Museum) capture of Mosquitoes of Middle America collection records Grants for scanning literature and alcohol collection maintenanceGrants for scanning literature and alcohol collection maintenance Facilities, services, collection infrastructure support, etc…Facilities, services, collection infrastructure support, etc… Use of sequencing resources of Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB)Use of sequencing resources of Laboratory of Analytical Biology (LAB) Emu (Electronic Museum) capture of Mosquitoes of Middle America collection recordsEmu (Electronic Museum) capture of Mosquitoes of Middle America collection records Grants for scanning literature and alcohol collection maintenanceGrants for scanning literature and alcohol collection maintenance

Components needed for systematics research and taxonomic identifications PersonnelPersonnel CollectionCollection LiteratureLiterature PersonnelPersonnel CollectionCollection LiteratureLiterature

Personnel WRBU Dr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/CuratorDr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/Curator Dr. Pollie Rueda, Research Entomologist/Curator Dr. 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 scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, volunteersContract technicians, illustrator, post docs, visiting scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, volunteers Dr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/CuratorDr. Rick Wilkerson, Research Entomologist/Curator Dr. Pollie Rueda, Research Entomologist/Curator Dr. 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 scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, volunteersContract technicians, illustrator, post docs, visiting scientists, SI research associate, graduate students, volunteers

WRBUWRBU Large mosquito systematics reprint collectionLarge mosquito systematics reprint collection Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) mosquito collection (about 1.5 million specimens)Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) mosquito collection (about 1.5 million specimens) Large mosquito systematics reprint collectionLarge mosquito systematics reprint collection Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) mosquito collection (about 1.5 million specimens)Caretakers of World’s largest (best?) mosquito collection (about 1.5 million specimens)

Primary projects Identification tools for medically important mosquitoes of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM (Africa) Areas of ResponsibilityIdentification tools for medically important mosquitoes of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM (Africa) Areas of Responsibility –Lucid keys –Species pages –Updating catalog, reprints, pdfs, web Identification tools for medically important sand flies of the CENTCOM Areas of ResponsibilityIdentification tools for medically important sand flies of the CENTCOM Areas of Responsibility –Lucid keys –Species pages –New catalog Modeling the potential distribution of vectorsModeling the potential distribution of vectors Identification tools for medically important mosquitoes of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM (Africa) Areas of ResponsibilityIdentification tools for medically important mosquitoes of the PACOM*, CENTCOM*, SOUTHCOM, EUCOM (Africa) Areas of Responsibility –Lucid keys –Species pages –Updating catalog, reprints, pdfs, web Identification tools for medically important sand flies of the CENTCOM Areas of ResponsibilityIdentification tools for medically important sand flies of the CENTCOM Areas of Responsibility –Lucid keys –Species pages –New catalog Modeling the potential distribution of vectorsModeling the potential distribution of vectors

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

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

MosquitoMap logo website being developed to host global mosquito occurrence data and mosquito distribution models.

Current Projects Neotropical AnophelesNeotropical Anopheles -An. (Nys.) albitarsis complex (marajoara) -An. (Nys.) oswaldoi complex -An. (Nys.) triannulatus complex -An. (Ano.) crucians complex* -Review of An. subgenus Kerteszia Korean/China malaria vectorsKorean/China malaria vectors Application of molecular tools for solution of taxonomic problems and development of diagnosticsApplication of molecular tools for solution of taxonomic problems and development of diagnostics Neotropical AnophelesNeotropical Anopheles -An. (Nys.) albitarsis complex (marajoara) -An. (Nys.) oswaldoi complex -An. (Nys.) triannulatus complex -An. (Ano.) crucians complex* -Review of An. subgenus Kerteszia Korean/China malaria vectorsKorean/China malaria vectors Application of molecular tools for solution of taxonomic problems and development of diagnosticsApplication of molecular tools for solution of taxonomic problems and development of diagnostics

An. kleini RuedaAn. belenrae Rueda

Current 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, Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, GeorgiaCollaborations in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, Georgia 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, Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, GeorgiaCollaborations in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Korea, Georgia Collection curationCollection curation Lab and basic identification trainingLab and basic identification training Training of DOD entomologistsTraining of DOD entomologists

Current 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 -

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. us any corrections, comments, etc to improve the keys, and the website as a whole. Contact the webmaster (click), Pollie Rueda or Rick Wilkerson