Association of ectoparasites (Diptera and Acari) on bats (Mammalia) in a restinga habitat in northeastern Brazil.

Abstract

In Brazil, 124 species of ectoparasites of bats are known from the families Streblidae, Nycteribiidae, and Spinturnicidae. This study aimed to characterize the ectoparasites associated with bats in a restinga habitat in Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. Sampling occurred between October 2016 and September 2017 in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural do Caju through the capture of bats, using 10 mist nets. The ectoparasites collected were stored in 70% alcohol and subsequently identified. For the hosts, the parasitological indexes were calculated and, for the most abundant ones, the influences of the sex of the host and of seasonality on these indexes were evaluated. We collected 430 parasites, of which 77.90% belonged to the Streblidae family. The influence of host sex was observed only in terms of the prevalence between Periglischrus iheringi and Artibeus lituratus, with the highest values observed for females. This may be associated with the highest susceptibility of females to parasitism by the greater permanency in the shelter. In terms of the influence of seasonality, only the interaction between Carollia perspicillata and Trichobius joblingi was affected by temperature, with an increase in prevalence rates and mean intensity during the season with lower temperatures. This relationship may be associated with biological differences among parasites species. The present study identified six new species of ectoparasites and the occurrence of ticks on bats for Sergipe, in addition to registering 11 new bat-ectoparasite associations for the state and two for Brazil, contributing to an increase in our knowledge about bat-ectoparasite interactions.