How do ectoparasitic nycteribiids locate their bat hosts?

Abstract

Nycteribiids (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) are specific haematophagous ectoparasites of bats, which spend nearly all their adult lives on hosts. However, females have to leave bats to deposit their larva on the walls of the roosts, where they later emerge as adult flies. Nycteribiids had thus to evolve efficient sensorial mechanisms to locate hosts from a distance. We studied the sensory cues involved in this process, experimentally testing the role of specific host odours, and general cues such as carbon dioxide, body heat, and vibrations. As models we used two nycteribiids (Penicillidia conspicua and Penicillidia dufourii) and their primary bat hosts (Miniopterus schreibersii and Myotis myotis, respectively). Carbon dioxide was the most effective cue activating and orientating the responses of nycteribiids, followed by body heat and body odours. They also responded to vibration, but did not orientate to its source. In addition, sensory cues combined (carbon dioxide and body heat) were more effective in orientating nycteribiids than either cue delivered alone. Results suggest that nycteribids have some capacity to distinguish specific hosts from a distance, probably through their specific body odours. However, the strong reliance of nycteribiids on cues combined indicates that they follow these to orientate to nearby multispecies bat clusters, where the chances of finding their primary hosts are high. The combination of sensory cues seems therefore an effective strategy used by nycteribiids to locate bat hosts at a distance.

Parasites of parasites of bats: Laboulbeniales (Fungi: Ascomycota) on bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) in central Europe

“…Miniopterus schreibersii is the main bat host for N. schmidlii and P. conspicua . Furthermore, P. conspicua and P. dufourii sometimes choose non-primary hosts if the opportunity arises [ 54 ]. Four P. conspicua bat flies and one specimen of N. schmidlii from the same Miniopterus schreibersii bat were found infected with A. nycteribiae .…”

Signs of a vector's adaptive choice: on the evasion of infectious hosts and parasite‐induced mortality

“…Only female bat flies will temporarily leave their hosts to deposit a single prepupa on the bat roost wall, the only developmental stage of a bat fly spent off host (Marshall ). After emergence from the pupa the imago uses carbon dioxide, as well as body heat and odour to locate a bat host (Lourenço and Palmeirim ). It is unknown whether the same cues are used to discriminate between hosts.…”

Which factors regulate the reproduction of ectoparasites of temperate-zone cave-dwelling bats?

“…Both nycteribiid species spend most of their adult lives in the fur of M. schreibersii, and they are host specific; N. schmidlii is part of the typical parasitic fauna of M. schreibersii and P. conspicua is only accidentally found on bats of other species (Balcells 1968;Imaz et al 1999;Estrada-Peña et al 1991a;Lourenço and Palmeirim 2008). Nycteribiids undergo adenotrophic viviparity (i.e., the complete larval life cycle occurs within the female uterus) and have a single offspring which develops though three nymphal instars (Marshall 1981).…”