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This paper describes and illustrates a new species of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniomycetes) recovered from Mastoptera guimaraesi bat flies (Diptera, Streblidae) in Ecuador and Panama. Bat fly-associated Laboulbeniales are still unexplored in the Neotropics, with only four described species of Gloeandromyces and one species of Nycteromyces known. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses support placement of the new taxon in Gloeandromyces and its recognition as an undescribed species. Gloeandromyces hilleri sp. nov. is easily recognized by 2-3 longitudinal rows of undulations at its perithecial venter. Phylogenetic reconstructions of the large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA and the translation elongation factor 1α (TEF1) both resolve G. hilleri and G. nycteribiidarum as sister species. We discuss the utility of LSU and TEF1 as secondary barcodes in Laboulbeniomycetes taxonomy.

Skin is the largest mammalian organ and the first defensive barrier against the external environment. The skin and fur of mammals can host a wide variety of ectoparasites, many of which are phylogenetically diverse, specialized, and specifically adapted to their hosts. Among hematophagous dipteran parasites, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known to serve as important attractants, leading parasites to compatible sources of blood meals. VOCs have been hypothesized to be mediated by host-associated bacteria, which may thereby indirectly influence parasitism. Host-associated bacteria may also influence parasitism directly, as has been observed in interactions between animal gut microbiota and malarial parasites. Hypotheses relating bacterial symbionts and eukaryotic parasitism have rarely been tested among humans and domestic animals, and to our knowledge have not been tested in wild vertebrates. In this study, we used Afrotropical bats, hematophagous ectoparasitic bat flies, and haemosporidian (malarial) parasites vectored by bat flies as a model to test the hypothesis that the vertebrate host microbiome is linked to parasitism in a wild system. We identified significant correlations between bacterial community composition of the skin and dipteran ectoparasite prevalence across four major bat lineages, as well as striking differences in skin microbial network characteristics between ectoparasitized and nonectoparasitized bats. We also identified links between the oral microbiome and presence of malarial parasites among miniopterid bats. Our results support the hypothesis that microbial symbionts may serve as indirect mediators of parasitism among eukaryotic hosts and parasites.

Bats serve as hosts to many lineages of arthropods, of which the blood-sucking bat flies (Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are the most conspicuous. Bat flies can in turn be parasitized by Laboulbeniales fungi, which are biotrophs of arthropods. This is a second level of parasitism, hyperparasitism, a severely understudied phenomenon. Four genera of Laboulbeniales are known to occur on bat flies, Arthrorhynchus on Nycteribiidae in the Eastern Hemisphere, Dimeromyces on Old World Streblidae, Gloeandromyces on New World Streblidae, and Nycteromyces on Streblidae in both hemispheres. In this chapter, we introduce the different partners of the tripartite interaction and discuss their species diversity, ecology, and patterns of specificity. We cover parasite prevalence of Laboulbeniales fungi on bat flies, climatic effects on parasitism of bat flies, and coevolutionary patterns. One of the most important questions in this tripartite system is whether habitat has an influence on parasitism of bat flies by Laboulbeniales fungi. We hypothesize that habitat disturbance causes parasite prevalence to increase, in line with the “dilution effect.” This can only be resolved based on large, non-biased datasets. To obtain these, we stress the importance of multitrophic field expeditions and international collaborations.

Skin is the largest mammalian organ and the first defensive barrier against the external environment. The skin and fur of mammals can host a wide variety of ectoparasites, many of which are phylogenetically diverse, specialized, and specifically adapted to their hosts. Among hematophagous dipteran parasites, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known to serve as important attractants, leading parasites to compatible sources of blood meals. VOCs have been hypothesized to be mediated by host-associated bacteria, which may thereby indirectly influence parasitism. Host-associated bacteria may also influence parasitism directly, as has been observed in interactions between animal gut microbiota and malarial parasites. Hypotheses relating bacterial symbionts and eukaryotic parasitism have rarely been tested among humans and domestic animals, and have to our knowledge never been tested in wild vertebrates. In this study, we use Afrotropical bats, hematophagous ectoparasitic bat flies, and haemosporidian (malarial) parasites vectored by bat flies as a model to test the hypothesis that the vertebrate host microbiome is linked to parasitism in a wild system. We identify significant correlations between bacterial community composition of the skin and dipteran ectoparasite prevalence across four major bat lineages, as well as striking differences in skin microbial network characteristics between ectoparasitized and non-ectoparasitized bats. We also identify links between the oral microbiome and presence of malarial parasites among miniopterid bats. Our results support the hypothesis that microbial symbionts may serve as indirect mediators of parasitism among eukaryotic hosts and parasites.

As an obligate ectoparasite of bats, the bat fly Trichobius frequens (Diptera: Streblidae) inhabits the same subterranean environment as their nocturnal bat hosts. In this study, we characterize the macromorphology, optical architecture, rhabdom anatomy, photoreceptor absorbance, and opsin expression of the significantly reduced visual system in T. frequens resulting from evolution in the dark. The eyes develop over a 21–22 day pupal developmental period, with pigmentation appearing on pupal day 11. After eclosion as an adult, T. frequens eyes consist of on average 8 facets, each overlying a fused rhabdom consisting of anywhere from 11 to 18 estimated retinula cells. The dimensions of the facets and fused rhabdoms are similar to those measured in other nocturnal insects. T. frequens eyes are functional as shown by expression of a Rh1 opsin forming a visual pigment with a peak sensitivity to 487 nm, similar to other dipteran Rh1 opsins. Future studies will evaluate how individuals with such reduced capabilities for spatial vision as well as sensitivity still capture enough visual information to use flight to maneuver through dark habitats.

This paper describes and illustrates a new species of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniomycetes) recovered from

Arthropod ectoparasites generally have nutrient-poor diets and are dependent on their bacterial symbionts for nutrient acquisition, development, and immune response initiation. As the body of research on parasite-microbiome interactions continues to grow, it is becoming more apparent that the parasite is not an island that physically and biologically constrains the microbiome. Suitable habitat fragment size, isolation, and distance from a source are important variables influencing community composition of plants and animals, but the role of the environment in determining composition and variation of host-associated microbial communities is poorly known. It is hypothesized that evolution and ecology of an arthropod parasite will influence its microbiome more than broader environmental factors, but this hypothesis has not yet been tested. To compare the relative influence of the broader environment to that of phylogenetic constraint on the microbiome, we applied high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of 16S rRNA from 222 obligate ectoparasitic bat flies (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) collected from 155 bats (representing six species) from ten habitat fragments in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We find that parasite species identity is the strongest driver of microbiome composition. To a lesser extent, reduction in habitat fragment area is associated with a reduction in connectance of microbial interaction networks and an increase in modularity, but size-independent measures of network topology and bacterial taxon richness do not show an impact of the environment. Instead, habitat fragments that support more diverse bat and bat fly communities also support more connected bacterial interaction networks.

The aim of this study was to report on bat flies collected from a fruit bat (

Bats are parasitized by numerous lineages of arthropods, of which bat flies (Diptera, Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are the most conspicuous. Bat flies themselves can be parasitized by Laboulbeniales, fungal biotrophs of arthropods. This is known as hyperparasitism, a severely understudied phenomenon. Three genera of Laboulbeniales occur on bat flies: Arthrorhynchus on Nycteribiidae, Gloeandromyces and Nycteromyces on Streblidae. In this review we introduce the parasitic partners in this tripartite system and discuss their diversity, ecology, and specificity patterns, alongside some important life history traits. Furthermore, we cover recent advances in the study of the associations between bat flies and Laboulbeniales, which were neglected for decades. Among the most immediate needs for further studies are detailed tripartite field surveys. The vermin only teaze and pinch Their foes superior by an inch So, naturalists observe, a flea Has smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller still to bite 'em, And so proceed ad infinitum. Jonathan Swift (On Poetry: A Rhapsody, 1733).

The goal of this study was to elucidate the host—ectoparasite associations of small-mammal communities in south-central Kentucky. Specifically we sought to determine whether host species, sex, and age as well as site or season affected the infestation of small mammals by parasitic arthropods. We captured small mammals from November 2014 to October 2015 using live traps in three 200 m × 50 m trapping grids within Western Kentucky University's Green River Preserve. We identified captured small mammals to species and recorded standard measurements. Ectoparasites were removed and retained for identification. We collected 9 species of ectoparasites, including 3 ixodid ticks, 5 species of Siphonaptera, and 1 mesostigmatid mite, from 7 species of small mammals and calculated prevalence and mean intensity for each host—parasite association. Infestation rates of ectoparasites were generally low, but were affected by age and sex of the host, site, and season in different parasite taxa. We posit several nat...

Dispersal influences the evolution and adaptation of organisms, but it can be difficult to detect. Host-specific parasites provide information about the dispersal of their hosts and may be valuable for examining host dispersal that does not result in gene flow or that has low signals of gene flow. We examined the population connectivity of the buffy flower bat

Study of all flies (Diptera) collected for one year from a four-hectare (150 x 266 meter) patch of cloud forest at 1,600 meters above sea level at Zurquí de Moravia, San José Province, Costa Rica (hereafter referred to as Zurquí), revealed an astounding 4,332 species. This amounts to more than half the number of named species of flies for all of Central America. Specimens were collected with two Malaise traps running continuously and with a wide array of supplementary collecting methods for three days of each month. All morphospecies from all 73 families recorded were fully curated by technicians before submission to an international team of 59 taxonomic experts for identification. Overall, a Malaise trap on the forest edge captured 1,988 species or 51% of all collected dipteran taxa (other than of Phoridae, subsampled only from this and one other Malaise trap). A Malaise trap in the forest sampled 906 species. Of other sampling methods, the combination of four other Malaise traps and an intercept trap, aerial/hand collecting, 10 emergence traps, and four CDC light traps added the greatest number of species to our inventory. This complement of sampling methods was an effective combination for retrieving substantial numbers of species of Diptera. Comparison of select sampling methods (considering 3,487 species of non-phorid Diptera) provided further details regarding how many species were sampled by various methods. Comparison of species numbers from each of two permanent Malaise traps from Zurquí with those of single Malaise traps at each of Tapantí and Las Alturas, 40 and 180 km distant from Zurquí respectively, suggested significant species turnover. Comparison of the greater number of species collected in all traps from Zurquí did not markedly change the degree of similarity between the three sites, although the actual number of species shared did increase. Comparisons of the total number of named and unnamed species of Diptera from four hectares at Zurquí is equivalent to 51% of all flies named from Central America, greater than all the named fly fauna of Colombia, equivalent to 14% of named Neotropical species and equal to about 2.7% of all named Diptera worldwide. Clearly the number of species of Diptera in tropical regions has been severely underestimated and the actual number may surpass the number of species of Coleoptera. Various published extrapolations from limited data to estimate total numbers of species of larger taxonomic categories (e.g., Hexapoda, Arthropoda, Eukaryota, etc.) are highly questionable, and certainly will remain uncertain until we have more exhaustive surveys of all and diverse taxa (like Diptera) from multiple tropical sites. Morphological characterization of species in inventories provides identifications placed in the context of taxonomy, phylogeny, form, and ecology. DNA barcoding species is a valuable tool to estimate species numbers but used alone fails to provide a broader context for the species identified.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:56:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-12-01 Estimations of tropical insect diversity generally suffer from lack of known groups or faunas against which extrapolations can be made, and have seriously underestimated the diversity of some taxa. Here we report the intensive inventory of a four-hectare tropical cloud forest in Costa Rica for one year, which yielded 4332 species of Diptera, providing the first verifiable basis for diversity of a major group of insects at a single site in the tropics. In total 73 families were present, all of which were studied to the species level, providing potentially complete coverage of all families of the order likely to be present at the site. Even so, extrapolations based on our data indicate that with further sampling, the actual total for the site could be closer to 8000 species. Efforts to completely sample a site, although resource-intensive and time-consuming, are needed to better ground estimations of world biodiversity based on limited sampling. Entomology Section Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard Royal British Columbia Museum and the American Museum of Natural History, 691-8th Ave. SE Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences Poole Agricultural Center Clemson University, 130 McGinty Court, E-143 Depto. de Biologia FFCLRP Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900 Great Lakes Forestry Centre Canadian Forest Service Natural Resources Canada, 1219 Queen St. E. Australian Museum, 1 William Street Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Macdonald Campus Canadian National Collection of Insects Invertebrate Biodiversity Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, K.W. Neatby Building, 960 Carling Avenue Department of Biological Sciences Spaulding Hall University of New Hampshire Department of Biological Sciences Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy Instituto Federal do Triângulo Mineiro – Campus Uberaba. Rua João Batista Ribeiro 4000 Distrito Industrial II Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Jardim das Américas Mississippi Entomological Museum Mississippi State University, 100 Old Highway 12, P.O. Drawer 9775 Department of Biology Western Kentucky University Integrative Research Center Field Museum of Natural History Independent Investigator California State Collection of Arthropods, 2683 Tam O’ Shanter Dr., El Dorado Hills California Department of Food and Agriculture California State Collection of Arthropods, 3294 Meadowview Rd. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Ben Franklin Parkway American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St. Department of Entomology University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave. Zoological Museum Biodiversity Unit FI-20014 University of Turku Instituto de Ecología A.C. (INECOL) Red Ambiente y Sustentabilidad, Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Col El Haya, Xalapa Station Linné, Ölands Skogsby 161 I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bogdan Chmielnicki St. 15 Universidad de Panama Department of Natural History University Museum of Bergen University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7800 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 960 Carling Avenue School of Environmental Sciences University of Guelph Department of Entomology Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, MRC 169 Natural History Museum of Denmark, Universitetsparken 15 Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190 Systematic Entomology Laboratory USDA ARS c/o National Museum of Natural History, MRC-168, P.O. Box 37012 Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia CCEN Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Castelo Branco, s/n Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25 Research Group Terrestrial Ecology (TEREC) Ghent University, K.L.Ledeganckstraat 35 Entomology Unit Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences (RBINS), Vautierstraat 29 USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 1648 S. 7th Avenue Department of Biological Sciences Bishop’s University, 2600 College Street UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal; Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n Canadian National Collection of Insects & Canadian Food Inspection Agency OPL-Entomology, K.W. Neatby Bldg., C.E.F., 960 Carling Ave. Department of Biological Sciences University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW Finnish Museum of Natural History Zoology Unit University of Helsinki Washington State University, 2533 Inter Avenue Bohart Museum of Entomology University of California, One Shields Avenue Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal; Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n

The incidence of tick-borne zoonoses such as Lyme disease has steadily increased in the southeastern United States. Southeastern states accounted for 1500 of over 28,000 confirmed cases of Lyme disease reported in the United States during 2015. Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, is maintained in small mammal reservoirs and vectored to new hosts by ixodid ticks. This study examined ecological relationships of the B. burgdorferi/vector/reservoir system in order to understand the dynamics of Lyme disease risk in Kentucky. Small mammals were captured using live traps from November 2014 to October 2015. Ticks were removed and blood and tissue collected from small mammals were screened for B. burgdorferi DNA by PCR with primers specific to the OspA gene. Prevalence of B. burgdorferi (21.8%) in Kentucky small mammals was comparable to the lowest recorded prevalence in regions where Lyme disease is endemic. Moreover, infestation of small mammals by Ixodes scapularis, the primary vector of B. burgdorferi, was rare, while Dermacentor variabilis comprised the majority of ticks collected. These findings provide ecological insight into the relative paucity of Lyme disease in Kentucky.

Background: We present information on Nycteribiidae flies parasitizing the bat families Pteropodidae, Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae from the Malagasy Region, contributing insight into their diversity and host preference.Results: Our phylogenetic analysis identified nine clusters of nycteribiid bat flies on Madagascar and the neighbouring Comoros Archipelago. Bat flies sampled from frugivorous bats of the family Pteropodidae are monoxenous: Eucampsipoda madagascariensis, E. theodori and Cyclopodia dubia appear wholly restricted to Rousettus madagascariensis, R. obliviosus and Eidolon dupreanum, respectively. Two different host preference patterns occurred in nycteribiids infecting insectivorous bats. Flies parasitizing bats of the genera Miniopterus (Miniopteridae) and Myotis (Vespertilionidae), namely Penicillidia leptothrinax, Penicillidia sp. and Nycteribia stylidiopsis, are polyxenous and showed little host preference, while those parasitizing the genera Pipistrellus and Scotophilus (both Vespertilionidae) and referable to Basilia spp., are monoxenous. Lastly, the inferred Bayesian phylogeny revealed that the genus Basilia, as currently configured, is paraphyletic.Conclusion: This study provides new information on the differentiation of nycteribiid taxa, including undescribed species. Host preference is either strict as exemplified by flies parasitizing fruit bats, or more relaxed as found on some insectivorous bat species, possibly because of roost site sharing. Detailed taxonomic work is needed to address three undescribed nycteribiid taxa found on Pipistrellus and Scotophilus, tentatively allocated to the genus Basilia, but possibly warranting different generic allocation.

Background Bat flies (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) are among the most specialized families of the order Diptera. Members of these two related families have an obligate ectoparasitic lifestyle on bats, and they are known disease vectors for their hosts. However, bat flies have their own ectoparasites: fungi of the order Laboulbeniales. In Europe, members of the Nycteribiidae are parasitized by four species belonging to the genus Arthrorhynchus. We carried out a systematic survey of the distribution and fungus-bat fly associations of the genus in central Europe (Hungary, Romania). Results We encountered the bat fly Nycteribia pedicularia and the fungus Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae as new country records for Hungary. The following bat-bat fly associations are for the first time reported: Nycteribia kolenatii on Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis blythii, Myotis capaccinii and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum; Penicillidia conspicua on Myotis daubentonii; and Phthiridium biarticulatum on Myotis capaccinii. Laboulbeniales infections were found on 45 of 1,494 screened bat flies (3.0%). We report two fungal species: Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae on Nycteribia schmidlii, and A. nycteribiae on N. schmidlii, Penicillidia conspicua, and P. dufourii. Penicillidia conspicua was infected with Laboulbeniales most frequently (25%, n = 152), followed by N. schmidlii (3.1%, n = 159) and P. dufourii (2.0%, n = 102). Laboulbeniales seem to prefer female bat fly hosts to males. We think this might be due to a combination of factors: female bat flies have a longer life span, while during pregnancy female bat flies are significantly larger than males and accumulate an excess of fat reserves. Finally, ribosomal DNA sequences for A. nycteribiae are presented. Conclusions We screened ectoparasitic bat flies from Hungary and Romania for the presence of ectoparasitic Laboulbeniales fungi. Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae and A. nycteribiae were found on three species of bat flies. This study extends geographical and host ranges of both bat flies and Laboulbeniales fungi. The sequence data generated in this work contribute to molecular phylogenetic studies of the order Laboulbeniales. Our survey shows a complex network of bats, bat flies and Laboulbeniales fungi, of which the hyperparasitic fungi are rare and species-poor. Their host insects, on the other hand, are relatively abundant and diverse. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2022-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Herein we confirm the occurrence of Lophostoma carrikeri in Ecuador. One adult female was collected in Orellana province on 17 September 2012 at Boanamo, Waorani Ethnic Reserve, and another on 5 May 2013 at Yasuni Research Station, Yasuni National Park. These records extend the distributional range of the species about 570 km northwest of the nearest previously known record in Jenaro Herrera, Loreto, Peru. Both Ecuadorian localities are characterized by well-conserved primary Terra Firme rainforest. Morphological characters of the specimens presented here broaden the known intraspecific variation in this taxon, including uniformly dark ears without white margins, undeveloped sagittal crests, and smaller forearm size than previously reported. In addition, information on ectoparasites for this species in Ecuador is provided.

Dispersal influences the evolution and adaptation of organisms, but it can be difficult to detect. Host-specific parasites provide information about the dispersal of their hosts and may be valuable for examining host dispersal that does not result in gene flow or that has low signals of gene flow. We examined the population connectivity of the buffy flower bat, Erophylla sezekorni (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), and its associated obligate ectoparasite, Trichobius frequens (Diptera: Streblidae), across a narrow oceanic channel in The Bahamas that has previously been implicated as a barrier to dispersal in bats. Due to the horizontal transmission of T. frequens, we were able to test the hypothesis that bats are dispersing across this channel, but this dispersal does not result in gene flow, occurs rarely, or started occurring recently. We developed novel microsatellite markers for the family Streblidae in combination with previously developed markers for bats to genotype individuals from 4 islands in The Bahamas. We provide evidence for a single population of the host, E. sezekorni, but 2 populations of its bat flies, potentially indicating a recent reduction of gene flow in E. sezekorni, rare dispersal, or infrequent transportation of bat flies with their hosts. Despite high population differentiation in bat flies indicated by microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA shows no polymorphism, suggesting that bacterial reproductive parasites may be contributing to mitochondrial DNA sweeps. Parasites, including bat flies, provide independent information about their hosts and can be used to test hypotheses of host dispersal that may be difficult to assess using host genetics alone.

Bat flies are a diverse clade of obligate ectoparasites on bats. Like most blood-feeding insects, they harbor endosymbiotic prokaryotes, but the origins and nature of these symbioses are still poorly understood. To expand the knowledge of bacterial associates in bat flies, the diversity and evolution of the dominant endosymbionts in six of eight nominal subfamilies of bat flies (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) were studied. Furthermore, the localization of endosymbionts and their transmission across developmental stages within the family Streblidae were explored. The results show diverse microbial associates in bat flies, with at least four ancestral invasions of distantly related microbial lineages throughout bat fly evolution. Phylogenetic relationships support the presence of at least two novel symbiont lineages (here clades B and D), and extend the geographic and taxonomic range of a previously documented lineage (“Candidatus Aschnera chinzeii ”; here clade A). Although these lineages show reciprocally monophyletic clusters with several bat fly host clades, their phylogenetic relationships generally do not reflect current bat fly taxonomy or phylogeny. However, within some endosymbiont clades, congruent patterns of symbiont-host divergence are apparent. Other sequences identified in this study fall into the widely distributed, highly invasive, insect-associated Arsenophonus lineage and may be the result of symbiont replacements and/or transient infections (here clade C). Vertical transmission of endosymbionts of clades B and D is supported by fluorescent signal (fluorescent in situ hybridization [FISH]) and microbial DNA detection across developmental stages. The fluorescent bacterial signal is consistently localized within structures resembling bacteriomes, although their anatomical position differs by host fly clade. In summary, the results suggest an obligate host-endosymbiont relationship for three of the four known symbiont clades associated with bat flies (clades A, B, and D).

This catalog presents eight species distributed among two genera and one subfamily of nycteribiid bat flies recorded in Colombia. For each genus we present synonymies and type species, and for each species account we present synonymies, disposition of type material, and specific localities and departments.

This catalog presents 73 species distributed among 19 genera and three subfamilies of streblid bat flies recorded in Colombia. For each genus we present synonymies and type species, and for each species account we present synonymies, type host, disposition of type material, and specific localities and departments for records known from Colombia.

We investigated previously unknown associations between bacterial endosymbionts and bat flies of the subfamily Nycterophiliinae (Diptera, Streblidae). Molecular analyses revealed a novel clade of Gammaproteobacteria in Nycterophilia bat flies. This clade was not closely related to Arsenophonus -like microbes found in its sister genus Phalconomus and other bat flies. High population infection rates in Nycterophilia across a wide geographic area, the presence of the symbionts in pupae, the general codivergence between hosts and symbionts, and high AT composition bias in symbiont genes together suggest that this host-symbiont association is obligate in nature and ancient in origin. Some Nycterophilia samples (14.8%) also contained Wolbachia supergroup F ( Alphaproteobacteria ), suggesting a facultative symbiosis. Likelihood-based ancestral character mapping revealed that, initially, obligate symbionts exhibited association with host-specific Nycterophilia bat flies that use a broad temperature range of cave environments for pupal development. As this mutualism evolved, the temperature range of bat flies narrowed to an exclusive use of hot caves, which was followed by a secondary broadening of the bat flies' host associations. These results suggest that the symbiosis has influenced the environmental tolerance of parasite life history stages. Furthermore, the contingent change to an expanded host range of Nycterophilia bat flies upon narrowing the ecological niche of their developmental stages suggests that altered environmental tolerance across life history stages may be a crucial factor in shaping parasite-host relationships.

As part of the 65th Medical Brigade, U.S. Army, arthropod-borne disease surveillance program and in collaboration with the Korea National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), bats were captured from caves and abandoned mines in the Republic of Korea. A total of 39 adult bat flies including five species of Nycteribiidae [Penicillidia jenynsii, Nycteribia parvula, N. formosana, N. allotopa mikado, and an unidentified species of Nycteribia (N. cf. formosana)], and one species of Streblidae, Brachytarsina kanoi, were collected from bats belonging to two families, Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae. This is the first report of N. allotopa mikado and N. formosana from the Republic of Korea.

A new species of Joblingia DybasWenzel, 1947, collected on the bat Myotis ruber (E. Geoffroy) in Southern Brazil, is described, and the type-species, J. schmidti DybasWenzel, 1947, redescribed. The diagnosis of the genus is amended. The external morphology and postgonites of both species are figured. Geographical distribution and host-parasite relationships are discussed.

Resumen The Northern Pygmy Mouse (Baiomys taylori) occurs throughout much of Mexico and into the southwestern United States, with its range currently expanding northward in the U.S. Despite documentation of species range expansion, there have been very few studies that have monitored population growth patterns in this species. During a 16-month mark-recapture study in coastal southeastern Texas, a striking fluctuation in densities of Pygmy Mouse populations was observed. The extreme population increase and decline was evaluated with respect to several biotic and abiotic variables postulated to affect rodent population levels. Highest population levels were preceded by high fruit and seed availability, and variation in 6-month cumulative precipitation totals explained 73.8% - 77.1% of the population variation in the study.

BackgroundFree-tailed bats of the genusOtomopsare poorly known, and most species are documented from a handful of widely scattered localities. Recently, two allopatric species ofOtomopswere recognized in continental Africa:Otomops martiensseni(Matschie, 1897) in southern, central and western Africa, and the new speciesO. harrisoniRalph et al., 2015 in the northeast and in Yemen.MethodsWe collected additional samples ofOtomopsin Kenya and Rwanda where the ranges of these taxa approach one another to clarify their geographic ranges and taxonomic status. Mitochondrial and nuclear intron sequences served to identify and delimit species; we also documented their echolocation call variation and ectoparasite complements.ResultsOtomops martiensseni, the southern African species, was documented in northern Kenya in Marsabit National Park.O. harrisoni, the northeastern African–Arabian species, was documented in southern Kenya and in a cave in Musanze District, Rwanda. Moreover, individuals of both species were found together at the Musanze cave, establishing them in precise spatial and temporal sympatry. Analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear loci identify no evidence of admixture between these forms, although available samples limit the power of this analysis. Echolocation call differences are also apparent among the three localities we analyzed. Three orders of insects and two families of mites are newly reported as ectoparasites ofO. harrisoni.DiscussionOur results corroborate species rank forO. harrisoniand establish a zone of potential geographic overlap withO. martienssenispanning at least 800 km of latitude. The new records establish the species in sympatry in northern Rwanda and add an additional species to the bat faunas of both Kenya and Rwanda. Future studies are needed to understandOtomopsroosting requirements and movements, thereby explaining the paucity of known colonies and yielding better estimates of their conservation status. The discovery of mixed roosting associations in Rwanda invites further investigation.

We examined the structure of ectoparasitic bat fly infestations on 31 well-sampled bat species, representing 4 Neotropical families. Sample sizes varied from 22 to 1057 bats per species, and bat species were infested by 4 to 27 bat fly species. Individual bats supported smaller infracommunities (the set of parasites co-occurring on an individual host), ranging from 1 to 5 fly species in size, and no bat species had more than 6 bat fly species characteristically associated with it (its primary fly species). Nestedness analyses used system temperature (BINMATNEST algorithm) because it is particularly well-suited for analysis of interaction networks, where parasite records may be nested among hosts and host individuals simultaneously nested among parasites. Most species exhibited very low system temperatures (mean 3.14°; range 0.14― 12.28°). Simulations showed that nested structure for all 31 species was significantly stronger than simulated values under 2 of the 3 null hypotheses, and about half the species were also nested under the more stringent conditions of the third null hypothesis. Yet this structure disappears when analyses are restricted to "primary" associations of fly species (flies on their customary host species), which exclude records thought to be atypical, transient, or potential contaminants. Despite comprising a small fraction of total parasite records, such anomalies represent a considerable part of the statistical state-space, offering the illusion of significant ecological structure. Only well understood and well documented systems can make distinctions between primary and other occurrence records. Generally, nestedness appears best developed in host-parasite systems where infestations are long-term and accumulate over time. Dynamic, short-term infestations by highly mobile parasites like bat flies may appear to be nested, but such structure is better understood in terms of host specificity and accidental occurrences than in terms of prevalence, persistence, or hierarchical niche relations of the flies.

We examined the correlations between prevalence (proportion of infested individuals), mean intensity (number of parasites per infested individual), and the number of bat fly species parasitizing bats in Venezuela with host body mass, distribution, and abundance. Of 133 bat species sampled, 53 species in six families were captured frequently enough to allow estimation of their parasite loads. Over all species and six families, prevalence and mean intensity were uncorrelated with these variables, but the number of fly species was correlated with host body mass. Correlations of parasitism with body mass were strengthened among the 44 species of Phyllostomidae. Earlier studies showed that bat roosting habits influence their parasitism by bat flies with more permanent, enclosed roosts being with heavier parasitism. Multiple regressions of all measures of parasitism showed that roosting habits and host body mass, respectively, were the first variables to enter stepwise regressions, together accounting for 20-43% of the variation in measures of parasitism. Lack of correlation between proxies of distribution and abundance with parasitism is taken to indicate that proximate factors such as host-as-habitat, social groupings, and roost microhabitat take precedence over species-wide attributes like commonness and ubiquity.

We describe levels of parasitism of ectoparasitic bat flies (Hippoboscoidea: Streblidae) on male and female bats from an extensive Neotropical survey. The collection resulted from coordinated vertebrate-parasite surveys undertaken by the Smithsonian Venezuelan Project (SVP) from 1965–1968, which sexed 24 978 bats of 130 species. Streblid parasites were recovered from 6935 individuals of 87 bat species, but only 47 species were captured frequently enough (≥ 20 infested individuals) to permit reliable estimates of streblid parasitism on males and females. Well-sampled species included 39 phyllostomids, four mormoopids, two noctilionids, one natalid and one molossid. Prevalence of streblid parasitism (proportion of individuals infested) of male and female bats was generally not significantly different, and averaged 0.34 across infested species. In species-level analyses assessed against captures, significant sex differences in infestation levels were noted in six species; all had mean prevalence below 0.5 and females were parasitized disproportionately in each. Sex differences in total numbers of flies were noted in 21 species, and in 16 of these, females carried disproportionately heavy loads. Sex differences were also found for eight species of bat in the number of fly species infesting an individual; seven of eight showed heavier female parasitism. In analyses weighted by infestation levels, sex differences in total number of flies were found in only 12 species, with seven showing excessive parasitism of females, and no species showed sex differences in the number of fly species infesting them. These significant biases were not associated with sexual size dimorphism among the bat species. Generally higher levels of parasitism among female bats accords with theory, given their generally higher survivorship and enhanced probabilities of lateral and vertical transmission of host-specific parasites, but contrasts with patterns shown by many other parasitic arthropods. Future analyses should target social groupings of bats, not passively sampled foragers, to better address the mechanisms responsible for this pattern.

Parasites constitute an ideal system with which to investigate patterns and mechanisms of community structure and dynamics. Nevertheless, despite their prevalence in natural systems, parasites have been examined less often than other organisms traditionally used for testing hypotheses of community assembly. In the present study, we investigate possible effects of competitive interactions on patterns of distribution (co-occurrence) and density among a group of streblid bat flies parasitic on short-tailed fruit bats, Carollia perspicillata. Using null model analyses of species co-occurrence, we did not find evidence that competition affects the distribution of bat fly species across hosts. Moreover, when non-infested hosts were included, analyses showed evidence for interspecific aggregation, rather than for the segregation predicted by competition theory. Partial Pearson correlations among bat fly species densities showed no evidence of negative covariation in two of three cases. In the species pair for which a significant negative correlation was found, a visual analysis of plotted covariation indicated a constraint line, suggesting that competition between these two species might become operational only in some infracommunities when abundances of bat flies approach a maximum set by one or more limiting resources. Moreover, when a community-wide estimation of the significance of density compensation was calculated, the result was not significant. Overall, we find no evidence that competition influences the distribution of bat flies on their hosts, and mixed support for effects of competition on the densities of species. These results are consistent with the idea that competition plays a role in structuring natural communities, but in many systems its effects are context-dependent and might not be important relative to other factors. Wider analyses across taxonomic and environmental gradients and a detailed consideration of the different hypothesized effects of competition are necessary to fully understand the importance of competition on natural communities.

1. Host specificity is the degree to which a parasite species occurs in association with a host species. 2. The degree to which obligate ectoparasites are host specific has been debated, but effects of sampling contamination were usually not addressed. Data from a controlled mammal–ectoparasite survey were used to assess host specificity of an obligate group of ectoparasites – streblid bat flies. 3. Host–parasite associations were categorised as primary or non-primary. Non-primary host associations were evaluated against primary associations via proportional comparison. 4. Results indicate that host specificity was high, exceeding previous reports. Natural host transfers were rare. 5. Non-primary host associations were almost completely explained by disturbance transfers during sampling of the host or by contamination upon sampling the parasite. These conclusions likely hold for other taxa of obligate parasites.

Ectoparasitic insects often exhibit female-biased sex ratios, a pattern usually explained by greater female longevity and the likelihood that smaller, more active males will disperse or be groomed off the host. Theory predicts that unbalanced sex ratios should favor males when resources are abundant and predictable, and when males are the dispersing sex. Sex ratios of streblid bat flies were evaluated based on a large biodiversity survey in Venezuela–more than 25,000 bats representing 130 species were searched for flies, yielding more than 36,500 bat flies of 116 species. These samples allowed us to analyze sex ratios in 112 bat fly metapopulations. Our results indicate that fully one-third of these metapopulations were significantly male-biased. Traditional explanations for sex-ratio bias, such as sampling effects, unequal longevity between the sexes, and differential dispersal capability are refuted for bat flies in favor of an alternative hypothesis—selective host grooming. Because host grooming is the principal cause of mortality for these slow-reproducing parasites, and because females are larger than males and gravid for a significant portion of their adult life, host grooming activity is more likely to kill or remove females than males. Incomplete understanding of population dynamics, such as mating behavior, dispersal, and reproductive success, cloud applications of male-biased sex ratios in bat flies to support or refute theoretical predictions. Population studies of mating competition and sex-related dispersal dynamics of this male-dominated group should yield important insights into sex ratio theory.

A survey collection of arthropods associated with bats documents new distributional records of Bolivian ectoparasites. New species records include Acari: Mesostigmata: Spinturnicidae—Periglischrus caligus Kolenati, Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans, Periglischrus ojasti Machado-Allison; Macronyssidae—Radfordiella oudemansi Fonseca; Metastigmata: Argasidae—Ornithodoros hasei (Schulze); Insecta: Diptera: Streblidae—Anastrebla caudiferae Wenzel, Anastrebla modestini Wenzel, Anatrichobius scorzai Wenzel, Exastinion deceptivum Wenzel, Megistopoda theodori Wenzel, Neotrichobius delicatus (Machado-Allison), Paradyschiria fusca Speiser, Paraeuctenodes similis Wenzel, Strebla curvata Wenzel, Strebla guajiro (Garcia & Casal), Trichobius petersoni Wenzel, and Trichobius tiptoni Wenzel.

The Smithsonian Venezuela Project (SVP) conducted extensive surveys of mammals and ectoparasites in the 1960s. The 25 238 individuals and 130 species of bat collected by SVP hosted 36 663 streblid bat flies, representing 116 species of these ectoparasitic dipterans. Roosts of bat species differ in durability and protection, and bat flies separate from the host to pupate in the roost. We predicted higher levels of parasitism and more parasitic associates for bats roosting in more permanent structures (e.g. caves, tunnels) that would facilitate their association with hosts. We also predicted wing development of flies should correlate inversely with roost duration, restricting flightless forms to bats in permanent roosts. Ranking roosting structures by durability and protection, we sought correlations among bat species in prevalence, mean intensity and number of associated fly species. All three measures of parasitism were positively and significantly related to roosting habits: bats roosting in more permanent, enclosed structures were more likely to be infested, to carry heavier parasite loads, and to harbour more species of ectoparasitic flies. However, roosting habits were not correlated with the average wing development of bat flies. Although other factors affect parasitism rates in bats, the study provides a compelling example of both ecological and evolutionary responses of parasites to features of the host's environment.

Although the swimming behavior of Oryzomys palustris has been described, little is known about how long this species will remain in an area that is inundated by several centimeters of water. This study documents the response of an O. palustris population to habitat inundation in a coastal prairie locality of southeastern Texas. During a mark-recapture study conducted during 2002 and 2003, we live- trapped O. palustris on a grid in an area that experienced prolonged ($5 mo) inundation during 2 of our 6 quarterly trapping periods. We describe a trapping technique, using foam rafts to support rodent live-traps, that is suitable for use in inundated areas. Despite long-term inundation, little available refuge, and an apparent complete turnover of the population, we estimated population densities of ca. 29 individuals per hectare during inundation, only a moderate decrease from the higher levels encountered before and after inundation. RESUMEN—A pesar de que se ha descrito el comportamiento natatorio de Oryzomys palustris, se sabe poco sobre cuanto tiempo permanece esta especie en un a inundada por varios cento ´metros de agua. Esta investigacion documenta la respuesta de una poblacion de O. palustris a la inundacion de habitat en un llano costero del sureste de Texas. Durante un estudio de marca-recaptura realizado durante el 2002 y el 2003, capturamos vivos los O. palustris, en una parcela de un area que sufrioinundacion prolongada ($5 meses), durante 2 de nuestras 6 sesiones trimestrales de trampeo. Describimos una tecnica de trampeo usando balsas de unicel para sostener trampas para roedores, que son utiles para usar en a inundadas. A pesar de la prolongada inundacion, la falta de refugio disponible y un aparente cambio completo de la poblacion, estimamos una densidad poblacional de aproximadamente 29 individuos por hectarea durante la inundacion , solo una moderada disminucion del nivel mas alto encontrado antes y despues de la inundacion .

Experimental approaches provide insight into the dynamics of species competition and coexistence, but studies of ectoparasitic arthropods are rare. Host choice experiments were undertaken in Amazonian Peru, by using obligate bat fly parasites of Seba's short-tailed bat, Carollia perspicillata (L.). The fly species Trichobius joblingi Wenzel strongly preferred clean hosts to those previously infested with individuals of T. joblingi. Abundance thresholds may limit conspecific parasites on host individuals, and similar morphologies and habitat use may increase intraspecific competition among individuals of T. joblingi. T. joblingi did not distinguish between clean hosts and those previously infested with flies of another species, Speiseria ambigua Kessel. Results suggest that the presence of a morphologically dissimilar species does not preclude subsequent colonization. Differential microhabitat selection, aided by adaptive morphology, may facilitate species coexistence among ectoparasitic bat fly species.