Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

• Published in: Biotropica 2020-05, Vol.52 (3), p.488-501
• Main Authors: Hiller, Thomas, Brändel, Stefan Dominik, Honner, Benjamin, Page, Rachel A., Tschapka, Marco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abundance; Anthropogenic factors; bat flies; Bats; Biodiversity; Central America; Chiroptera; Colonies; Community composition; Diptera; ectoparasites; Environmental changes; Flies; habitat fragmentation; Habitats; Home range; Human influences; Nycteribiidae; Parasites; Reproductive cycle; Species diversity; Streblidae; Surveys
• ISSN: 0006-3606; 1744-7429
• DOI: 10.1111/btp.12757

Parasites represent a large fraction of the world's biodiversity. They control host population sizes and contribute to ecosystem functioning. However, surveys on species diversity rarely include parasitic species. Bats often present traits favoring parasite diversity, such as large home ranges, long life spans, and large colonies. The most conspicuous bat parasites are the highly host‐specific, blood‐sucking bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae). Recent studies have found a direct effect of habitat alteration on the abundance of bat species. We expected, therefore, that changes in the host community in response to anthropogenic habitat modification will also result in changes in the associated parasite community. We captured bats in three different habitats in Central Panama between 2013 and 2015. We recorded information on prevalence and intensity of bat fly parasitization of the seven most commonly captured bat species. Prevalence and intensity were both significantly influenced by roost type, abundance, and host sex and age. We found that habitat variables and matrix type significantly influenced the prevalence and intensity of parasitization, while the direction of the responses was host species‐ and parasite species‐specific. In general, roosting conditions and behavior of host bats appear to be fundamental in explaining changes in prevalence and intensity of parasitization between different habitat types, as bat flies are bound to the roost during their reproductive cycle. Habitat alterations affect next to the host community composition also the availability of possible roost structures as well as microclimatic conditions, which all three reflect in parasitization. in Spanish is available with online material. Resumen Los parásitos representan una gran fracción de la biodiversidad mundial. Los mismos controlan el tamaño de las poblaciones y contribuyen a la funcionalidad de los ecosistemas. Sin embargo, los estudios en diversidad de especies raramente los incluyen. Los murciélagos con frecuencia presentan rasgos característicos que favorecen la diversidad del parasitismo, tales como distribución amplia, longevidad y la convivencia en grandes colonias. Los parásitos más destacados de los murciélagos son las altamente específicas y hematófagas moscas de murciélagos (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae). Estudios recientes han encontrado un efecto directo entre la alteración del hábitat y la abundancia de especies de murciélagos. En base a esto