Parasitism of ectoparasitic flies on bats in the northern Brazilian cerrado

Abstract

In this work we record the highest number of bat flies species among those already performed in the Brazilian cerrado and discuss the associations and patterns of parasitism of these species and their hosts. A total of 1,390 ectoparasitic flies were collected, belonging to 24 species of Streblidae and one of Nycteribiidae, parasitizing 227 bats of 15 species. Among the species found, the presence of Trichobius sp. on Lonchophylla mordax and the first occurrence of Hershkovitzia sp. on Thyroptera devivoi are highlighted. Lophostoma species presented the highest proportion of individuals with infracommunities and the highest values of parasitological indexes. The high number of bat fly species and hosts, as well as the high values for rates of parasitism and infracommunities, suggests that this area of cerrado has good shelter conditions for these species. The abundance of species and high rates of parasitism detracts from the hypothesis that a higher mean intensity of ectoparasites results from lower competition among flies for hosts in areas with lower ectoparasite species richness. Biogeographical and historical factors of host populations, besides the number of host species and individuals sampled, may contribute to species number and intensity of parasitism.

Prevalence and intensity of Streblidae in bats from a Neotropical savanna region in Brazil

“…Excluding these associations, we found the proportion of monoxenous species (56%) to be lower than the 87% found by Dick and Gettinger (2005) and the 88% found by Santos et al (2013). In contrast, we found a higher proportion of polyxenous species (44%) compared to the proportions found in other studies.…”

“…A total of 47 bat fly species have been reported in association with the 26 bat species in the Cerrado (Komeno and Linhares 1999, Graciolli et al 2006, Aguiar and Antonini 2011, Eriksson et al 2011, Santos et al 2013). According to Santos et al (2013), factors that may contribute to the high number of bat fly species in the Cerrado are external to the host and can affect the abundance of ectoparasites and their bats, favouring the sampling of host species with different component communities.…”

“…Santos et al (2013) listed were the vegetation structure, the abundance of host shelter and the high number of individuals and host species among the most important factors. Changes in the component communities of ectoparasitic flies on host species can also be attributed to regional differences in the species composition of bats, the biogeographic history of the area, as well as the lack of specificity of ectoparasites (Rui and Graciolli 2005).…”

“…For the Cerrado region of Brazil, there are only five studies that report quantitative parasitological indices for the streblid communities (Coimbra et al 1984, Komeno and Linhares 1999, Aguiar and Antonini 2011, Eriksson et al 2011, Santos et al 2013. Herein, we present a study about the component community, prevalence and the intensity of a infection of Streblidae on a bat assemblage (Phyllostomidae) present in the Cafuringa Environmental Protection Area (APA Cafuringa) in the core area of the Cerrado biome, a Neotropical savanna.…”

First record of the De Vivo’s Disk-winged Bat, Thyroptera devivoi Gregorin, Gonçalves, Lim & Engstrom, 2006 (Chiroptera, Thyropteridae), from Colombia, with comments about the record of Thyroptera lavali Pine, 1993 from the country

“…However, the great distance between these localities suggest that the species can be widely distributed (Gregorin et al 2006, Wilson 2008, Santos et al 2013, Velazco et al 2014.…”