A novel clade of bat-associated Bartonella detected in the bat fly Leptocyclopodia ferrari (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) parasitizing Cynopterus brachyotis (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

AbstractSeasonality of climate promotes differences in abundance and species composition of parasites, affecting host-parasite interactions. Studies have reported seasonal variation in bat-flies, which are obligate bat ectoparasites. We characterized the bat-fly load of three insectivores [Pteronotus davyi(Gray),Pteronotus parnellii(Gray) andPteronotus personatus(Wagner)] and one nectarivorous [Leptonycteris yerbabuenae(Martínez and Villa-R.)] bat species in a tropical dry forest to test the existence of seasonality in response to the availability of resources during the wet and dry seasons. We collected 3710 bat-fly specimens belonging to six species and two genera from 497 bats. Most of the ectoparasite load parameters examined (mean abundance, mean intensity, richness, etc.), including comparisons among reproductive conditions and sex of the host, were similar in both seasons. Prevalence was the parameter that varied the most between seasons. The six bat-fly species were found in all bat species exceptP. personatus. The latter species andL. yerbabuenaehad four and five bat-fly species in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. This study provides significant information of ectoparasites ecology in relation to seasonality, contributes to the understanding of host-parasite relationships in tropical dry forests and discusses the relevance of the abiotic and biotic factors that could impact host-parasite interactions.

Download Full-text

Wing Morphology and Flight Behavior of the Bat Fly Trichobius major (Diptera: Streblidae)

The Southwestern Naturalist ◽

10.2307/3670889 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 356 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

William Caire ◽

Lothar Hornuff

Keyword(s):

Flight Behavior ◽

Wing Morphology ◽

Bat Fly

Download Full-text

Bats Diversity in Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM)

International Journal for Innovation Education and Research ◽

10.31686/ijier.vol1.iss3.109 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Widad Fadhullah ◽

Wong Chee Ho

Keyword(s):

Species Identification ◽

Simpson Index ◽

The Family ◽

Total Capture ◽

Cynopterus Brachyotis ◽

Bat Diversity

The study of bats diversity was conducted in Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM) from July until December 2004. The objective is to examine the diversity of bat species in KUSTEM area for conservation purpose. Ten mist nets were used as the capturing device. Species identification was based on the forearm measurement, weight, sex, maturity status and their reproduction. Bats were released after identification. A total of 99 individual bats were captured, comprising of two families and four species. Three species were frugivorous bats, Cynopterus brachyotis, Cynopterus horsfieldii and Eonycteris major from the family Pteropodidae. One insectivorous species, Kerivoulla papillosa was captured from the family Vespertillionidae. Cynopterus brachyotis is the highest captured individual and species, representing 70.97% of total capture. Shannon-Weiner index is 0.8569 and Simpson index is 0.4504. The bat diversity in KUSTEM is influenced by the capture device and duration of study.

Download Full-text

Ascodipteron sanmingensis sp. nov., a new bat fly (Hippoboscidae: streblid grade) from Fujian, China

Biodiversity Data Journal ◽

10.3897/bdj.9.e64558 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Haoran Sun ◽

Liang Ding ◽

Liping Yan ◽

Thomas Pape ◽

Dong Zhang

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Detailed Comparison ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Cytb Gene ◽

Ecological Studies ◽

Eastern Hemisphere ◽

Attachment Sites ◽

The World ◽

Bat Fly ◽

A New Species

The bat fly genus Ascodipteron Adensamer, 1896 currently contains 15 species, all of which occur in tropical and subtropical areas of the Eastern Hemisphere. A new species of endoparasitic bat fly, Ascodipteron sanmingensis sp. nov., was collected from the Great Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bat, Hipposideros armiger (Hodgson, 1853), during ecological studies on bats in Fujian, China. A new species, Ascodipteron sanmingensis sp. nov., is described, based on dealate neosomic females and is supported by molecular data from a 368 bp fragment of the cytochrome B (Cytb) gene. Habitus and diagnostic details, as well as the attachment sites on the host, are documented with photographs. A detailed comparison of the new species with related species is provided and the new species is accommodated in the most recent key to the world species of Ascodipteron.

Download Full-text

Hyperparasitism in caves: bats, bat flies and ectoparasitic fungus

ARPHA Conference Abstracts ◽

10.3897/aca.1.e29967 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Katrine Jensen ◽

Luísa Rodrigues ◽

Thomas Pape ◽

Anders Garm ◽

Sergi Santamaria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissues ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Common Species ◽

Unique Case ◽

Male And Female ◽

Entire Life ◽

Bat Flies ◽

Starting Point ◽

Bat Fly ◽

Peculiar Case

Bat flies (Nycteribiidae) of the order Diptera are highly specialized bloodsucking ectoparasites living on bats. The life-cycle of the bat flies emphasizes their obligate relationship with their hosts as they spend almost their entire life on bats. Upon mating, the female bat fly carries the larvae internally until the 3rd-instar when it deposits the larvae on the ceiling of the roost occupied by bats. The larvae then form a puparium. After 3-4 weeks the adult bat fly emerges from the puparium and starts searching for a host bat to colonize. Some of these ectoparasitic bat flies themselves are infected with an ectoparasitic fungus of the genus Arthrorhynchus (Laboulbeniales). Ascospores of the fungi attach themselves to the cuticle of the bat fly and develop a very conspicuous haustorium that penetrates into the soft tissues from where it presumably extract nutrition from the hemolymph of the bat flies. This interaction converts the fungus into a hyperparasite. Both the parasite and hyperparasite are obligates and cannot live separate from their hosts. This peculiar case of hyperparasitism remains highly unknown. The bat flies were collected in caves of Portugal, in maternity and hibernation bat seasons, and in the autumn migration period. The most common species of cave-dwelling bat species in Portugal is Miniopterus schreibersii, frequently parasitized with Nycteribia schmidlii and Penicillidia conspicua bat flies. We have studied the prevalence of the Laboulbeniales of the genus Arthrorhynchus in natural populations of bat flies. The site and position of the fungus on male and female bat flies unveils the mechanism of fungal transmission among bat flies, indicating that it occurs during mating behavior. This study is the starting point towards the understanding of this unique case of fungus-insect-vertebrate hyperparasitism interaction. See Suppl. material 1.

Download Full-text

KELELAWAR MEGACHIROPETRA SEBAGAI RESERVOIR LYSSAVIRUS DI PROVINSI RIAU

Vektora Jurnal Vektor dan Reservoir Penyakit ◽

10.22435/vk.v11i2.1223 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 121-130

Author(s):

Ayu Pradipta Pratiwi ◽

Dimas Bagus Wicaksono Putro ◽

Ika Martiningsih ◽

Arum Sih Joharina ◽

Siska Indriyani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cynopterus Sphinx ◽

Cynopterus Brachyotis ◽

Mist Net

Macroglossus sobrinus, Cynopterus brachyotis, dan Cynopterus sphinx terkonfirmasi sebagai reservoir Lyssavirus di Provinsi Riau. Penelitian dilakukan di tiga kabupaten, yaitu Kabupaten Kepulauan Meranti, Kota Dumai, dan Kabupaten Bengkalis. Lokasi pengambilan sampel dilakukan pada ekosistem hutan, non hutan, dan pantai.Penangkapan kelelawar dilakukan menggunakan mist net, harp net, dan hand net. Kelelawar terkoleksi diambil sampel swab trakea untuk pemeriksaan Lyssavirus. Deteksi Lyssavirus dilakukan meggunakan metode PCR. Dari 356 sampel yang diperoleh, 19 sampel terkonfirmasi positif Lyssavirus.

Download Full-text