From the Atlantic Forest to the borders of Amazonia: species richness, distribution, and host association of ectoparasitic flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Better knowledge of the geographical distribution of parasites and their hosts can contribute to clarifying aspects of host specificity, as well as on the interactions among hosts, parasites, and the environment in which both exist. Ectoparasitic flies of the Nycteribiidae and Streblidae families are highly specialized hematophagous parasites of bats, whose distributional patterns, species richness, and associations with hosts remain underexplored and poorly known in Brazil. Here, we used information available in the literature and unpublished data to verify if the occurrence of bat hosts in a given environment influences the occurrence and distribution of nycteribiid and streblid flies in different ecoregions in the northeastern Brazil. We evaluate species richness and similarity between ecoregions and tested correlations between species richness and the number of studies in each ecoregion and federative unit. We recorded 50 species and 15 genera of bat ectoparasitic flies on 36 species and 27 genera of bat hosts. The Atlantic Forest had the highest fly species richness (n = 31; 62%), followed by Caatinga (n = 27; 54%). We detected the formation of distinct groups, with low species overlap between ecoregions for both flies and bats. Fly species richness was correlated with host species richness and with the number of studies in each federative unit, but not with the number of studies by ecoregion. Due to the formation of distinct groups with low species overlap for both groups, host availability is likely to be one of the factors that most influence the occurrence of highly specific flies. We also discuss host specificity for some species, produced an updated list of species and distribution for both nycteribiid and streblid flies with information on interaction networks, and conclude by presenting recommendations for more effective inventories of bat ectoparasites in the future.

Updated species list of the bat ectoparasitic flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) in the state of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil

“…We have increased the number of known Nycteribiidae and Streblidae in the state from 10 to 22 species, and from 5 to 10 genera; as well as from 50 to 52 species known in the region, with the records of B. anceps and Noctiliostrebla sp. (Barbier & Bernard, 2017). We also increase from 31 to 34 the known species in the northeastern portion of the Atlantic Forest, above the São Francisco River (Barbier & Bernard, 2017).…”

“…Although the present study is the second survey on bat ectoparasitic flies conducted in Paraíba, the state is now the fourth in species richness in northeastern Brazil, behind the states of Pernambuco, Maranhão, and Sergipe with 34, 28, and 23 species, respectively (Barbier & Bernard, 2017;Soares et al, 2017). We have increased the number of known Nycteribiidae and Streblidae in the state from 10 to 22 species, and from 5 to 10 genera; as well as from 50 to 52 species known in the region, with the records of B. anceps and Noctiliostrebla sp.…”

“…hastatus is the host type for T. longipes, although this fly may occur in other Phyllostomus species as P. discolor (Graciolli & Carvalho, 2001;Guerrero, 1994;Santos et al, 2013). In the northeastern, this fly was little recorded (Barbier & Bernard, 2017) and this represents the first record for Paraíba.…”

“…According to Guimarães and D'Andretta (1956), B. travassosi is endemic to northeastern Brazil. This species was recorded in 6 of the 9 states of the region and in different ecoregions (Barbier & Bernard, 2017). In the state of Paraíba, B. travassosi was recently recorded in the semi-arid Caatinga, also on M. lavali Wenzel, 1966 Host: Phyllostomus discolor (Wagner, 1843) (Phyllostomidae).…”

“…Currently, throughout northeastern Brazil, 47 streblid and only 3 nycteribiid species have been recorded infesting 8 bat families, mainly Phyllostomidae (Barbier & Bernard, 2017). Despite the advance in recent years (Bezerra et al, 2016;Santos et al, 2013;Soares et al, 2013Soares et al, , 2016, species richness in the northeastern is underestimated and the majority of states is undersampled or lack information about bat ectoparasitic flies' diversity (Barbier & Bernard, 2017). The state of Paraíba, for instance, has had only 1 survey on bat ectoparasitic flies -conducted in the Caatinga (seasonally dry tropical forest)-with 10 species recorded .…”