New Host and Geographic Distribution Records for Helminths (Trematoda, Nematoda) in Three Species of Vespertilionid Bats (Chiroptera) from the Pine Ridge of Dawes County, Nebraska, U.S.A.

Abstract

Abstract Three species of vespertilionid bats, including 4 big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), 4 western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum), and 6 little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) were collected between July and October 2007 from 2 sites on the Pine Ridge escarpment in Dawes County, Nebraska, U.S.A., and examined for helminths. Ten of 14 (71%) were infected with 1 or more parasites as follows: 3 of 4 (75%) E. fuscus, 3 of 6 (50%) M. lucifugus, and 3 of 4 (75%) M. ciliolabrum harbored the lecithodendrid trematode Paralecithodendrium swansoni; 1 of 4 (25%) E. fuscus, 1 of 6 (17%) M. lucifugus, and 1 of 4 (25%) M. ciliolabrum were infected with a plagiorchid trematode, Plagiorchis vespertilionis; and a single E. fuscus (25%) harbored third-stage larval spirurid nematode Physaloptera sp. This is the first time P. vespertilionis and P. swansoni have been reported from M. ciliolabrum. In addition, E. fuscus is a new host for Physaloptera sp., and P. swansoni is now documented in Nebraska.