Comparative analysis of the helminth fauna of Myotis brandtii and Myotis mystacinus (Сhiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in the Samarskaya Luka National Park (Russia)

Abstract

The article presents the comparative analysis of the helminth fauna of the sympatric bat species, Myotis mystacinus and M. brandtii (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), in the Samarskaya Luka National Park (Russia). Twelve species of parasites were recorded in both bat species in 2005–2007, including nine species of Trematoda, one species of Cestoda, and two species of Nematoda. All of these 12 species were noted in M. brandtii. The helminth fauna of M. mystacinus included a slightly depleted parasite fauna of M. brandtii being represented by seven species of parasites found in M. mystacinus, including six species of Trematoda and one species of Cestoda. The helminth fauna of both bat species has a moderate level of the fauna similarity. Differences in the infection level of the two bat species are found in both number of helminth species and quantitative rates of the helminth fauna. Helminth infection of M. brandtii is significantly higher than of M. mystacinus. The helminth fauna of M. mystacinus and M. brandtii is driven by the bat lifestyle and diet. Both bat species are being infected by helminths through food items. The broader diet composition of M. brandtii and its feeding on a wider number of insect groups increases the infection probability of this bat species by rare and accidental parasites, and it also increases the infection rates by obligate species of trematodes. Therefore, M. brandtii has a more diverse helminth fauna and a higher number of abundant parasite species as well. The diet of M. mystacinus contains a limited number of food items. This reduces the probability of its infection by several helminth species and, on the other hand, it causes a relatively high infection rates for some trematode species. The similarity of helminth faunas of M. brandtii and M. mystacinus is caused by the use of the same feeding habitats and the similarity of their diet. The obtained data confirm the partial overlap of spatial and trophic niches of the two studied bat species.