Trichobius joblingi, Aspidoptera falcata,andMegistopoda proxima(Diptera: Streblidae) Parasitic onCarollia perspicillataandSturnira lillium(Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Southeastern Brazil: Sex Ratios, Seasonality, Host Site Preference, and Effect of Parasitism on the Host

Abstract

This note examines the effect of parasitism on host size, the preference of the parasite for a specific host body area, and the seasonal abundance for the 3 most abundant bat flies (i.e., Trichobius joblingi Wenzel, a parasite of the bat Carollia perspicillata [Linnaeus], and Aspidoptera falcata Wenzel and Megistopoda proxima [Séguy], parasites on Sturnira lilium [Geoffroy]). Trichobius joblingi and A. falcata are moderately dorsoventrally flattened and were collected on the wing membranes of their hosts, and M. proxima is moderately laterally compressed, has long, thin hind legs, and was collected in the body fur of the host. These 3 parasites also showed distinct seasonal patterns. There was a significant negative correlation between the simultaneous occurrence of A. falcata and M. proxima on the host. Parasitism by M. proxima was correlated with a significant weight loss in male S. lilium, which may reflect the large size, high activity, and constant feeding of this parasite, thereby causing a significant negative effect on the host. Sex ratios favoring male flies could be explained by the tendency of female flies to leave the host immediately before the bat leaves the shelter in search for food or immediately after bats are collected but could also be a consequence of higher mortality among females, especially gravid ones. Finally, collecting may have influenced the skewed sex ratio because male flies, being more active, were more evident to the collector.

Daytime behavior of <i>Pteropus vampyrus</i> in a natural habitat: the driver of viral transmission

“…For self-maintenance, it is important to keep the wing soft and flexible by spreading the lipid droplets around the wing membrane by self-grooming [39]. In addition, it is a behavioral strategy for reducing the ectoparasite density, which tends to be higher in rainy seasons [21, 44]. The high level of gene flow in the blood-feeding parasite ( Cyclopodia horsfieldi ) found on the body of flying foxes suggested that there were frequent contacts among the flying fox species living in the South-East Asia region [30].…”

Density-dependent sex ratio and sex-specific preference for host traits in parasitic bat flies

“…Abundance analyses were first run for total abundance, but were repeated for male and female bat fly abundances separately. Given that the degree of parasitism [12, 47] or sex ratio might vary seasonally [48] but see [5], we tested the effect of month on both bat fly densities and sex ratios. Note, however that month had no significant effect in any of the models, neither as main effect nor in interaction with other parameters, therefore this effect is not shown in the results.…”

Review of the Bat Flies of Honduras, Central America (Diptera: Streblidae)

“…The dynamics associated with bat roosts as they pertain to the biology, ecology, and host specificity among streblid bat flies is a critically understudied area. Perhaps attributing to the fact that bat host species often harbor more than one species of Streblidae is the observation that some bat flies prefer particular areas (microhabitats, e.g., fur or wing membranes) on the host's body [1, 9–11]. …”