Diphylla Research Articles

Biology, Shelter Use and Rabies Antibodies in the Hairy-Legged Vampire Bat, Diphylla ecaudata, in Cohabitation with Desmodus rotundus: A Large Colony in a Man-Made Building in Southeastern Brazil, with Comments on Conservation

Biology, Shelter Use and Rabies Antibodies in the Hairy-Legged Vampire Bat, Diphylla ecaudata, in Cohabitation with Desmodus rotundus: A Large Colony in a Man-Made Building in Southeastern Brazil, with Comments on Conservation

Diphylla ecaudata(Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

AbstractThis account represents a thorough update of Mammalian Species 227 on the subject species by A. M. Greenhall, U. Schmidt, and G. Joermann, incorporating 124 relevant references published since 1984. Diphylla ecaudata Spix, 1823, a medium-sized bat and the smallest of three species in the Desmodontinae, is commonly called the hairy-legged vampire bat. This hematophagous bat is distributed from eastern Mexico through Central America and into South America, with a single report in south Texas, United States. Diphylla ecaudata is restricted to habitats in tropical and subtropical regions and it occurs from sea level to 1,900 m in these areas. It primarily roosts in caves. Diphylla ecaudata is listed as a species of “Least Concern” (LC) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Molecular detection of blood-borne agents in vampire bats from Brazil, with the first molecular evidence of Neorickettsia sp. in Desmodus rotundus and Diphylla ecaudata

Bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) represent the second largest group of mammals. Due to their ability to fly and adapt and colonize different niches, bats act as reservoirs of several potentially zoonotic pathogens. In this context, the present work aimed to investigate, using molecular techniques, the occurrence of blood-borne agents (Anaplasmataceae, Coxiella burnetii, hemoplasmas, hemosporidians and piroplasmids) in 198 vampire bats sampled in different regions of Brazil and belonging to the species Desmodus rotundus (n = 159), Diphylla ecaudata (n = 31) and Diaemus youngii (n = 8). All vampire bats liver samples were negative in PCR assays for Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., piroplasmids, hemosporidians and Coxiella burnetii. However, Neorickettsia sp. was detected in liver samples of 1.51% (3/198) through nested PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene in D. rotundus and D. ecaudata. This is the first study to report Neorickettsia sp. in vampire bats. Hemoplasmas were detected in 6.06% (12/198) of the liver samples using a PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene. The two 16S rRNA sequences obtained from hemoplasmas were closely related to sequences previously identified in vampire and non-hematophagous bats from Belize, Peru and Brazil. The genotypic analysis identified a high diversity of bat-associated hemoplasma genotypes from different regions of the world, emphasizing the need for studies on this subject, in order to better understand the mechanisms of co-evolution between this group of bacteria and their vertebrate hosts. The role of neotropical bat-associated Neorickettsia sp. and bats from Brazil in the biological cycle of such agent warrant further investigation.

First multi-instar descriptions of cave-dwelling Whartonia Ewing, 1944 (Parasitengona, Leeuwenhoekiidae) from Brazil through integrative taxonomy

For the first time deutonymphs and adults (females and males) of species belonging to Whartonia, a genus with post-larval stages commonly found in caves and larvae as ectoparasites of bats, are described. Two species from new localities in states of Pará (Eastern Amazon) and Minas Gerais (southeastern Brazil) are reported. Post-larval cave dwelling mites could be unambiguously associated with W. (W). pachywhartoni and W. (W.) nudosetosa larvae using mitochondrial COI and nuclear ribosomal 28S sequence data, despite apparent oversplitting by species delimitation methods. They are distinguished from closely related Albeckia senase, a species with described deutonymphs, by having eyes and by the shape of idiosomal setae. They are very similar to each other, being distinguished mainly by the distribution of special setae on legs, and shape of idiosomal setae. Detailed redescriptions of the two larvae are presented based on individuals found on bats belonging to nine species, with six new host species association: Anoura caudifer, Diphylla ecaudata, Mimon bennettii, Platyrrhinus lineatus, Sturnira lilium (Phyllostomidae) and Peropteryx trinitatis (Emballonuridae).

High genetic diversity of alphacoronaviruses in bat species (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

Bat coronaviruses (Bat-CoVs) represent around 35% of all virus genomes described in bats. Brazil has one of the highest mammal species diversity, with 181 species of bats described so far. However, few Bat-CoV surveillance programmes were carried out in the country. Thus, our aim was to jevaluate the Bat-CoV diversity in the Atlantic Forest, the second biome with the highest number of bat species in Brazil. We analysed 456 oral and rectal swabs and 22 tissue samples from Atlantic Forest bats, detecting Alphacoronavirus in 44 swab samples (9.6%) targeting the RdRp gene from seven different bat species, three of which have never been described as Bat-CoV hosts. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid (aa) sequences coding the RdRp gene grouped the sequences obtained in our study with Bat-CoV previously detected in identical or congeneric bat species, belonging to four subgenera, with high aa identity (over 90%). The RdRp gene was also detected in three tissue samples from Diphylla ecaudata and Sturnira lilium, and the partial S gene was successfully sequenced in five tissues and swab samples of D. ecaudata. The phylogenetic analysis based on the partial S gene obtained here grouped the sequence of D. ecaudata with CoV from Desmodus rotundus previously detected in Peru and Brazil, belonging to the Amalacovirus subgenus, with aa identity ranging from 73.6% to 88.8%. Our data reinforce the wide distribution of Coronaviruses in bats from Brazil and the novelty of three bats species as Bat-CoV hosts and the co-circulation of four Alphacoronavirus subgenera in Brazil.

Comparative Study on the Small and Large Intestines of the Bats Artibeus planirostris and Diphylla ecaudata: Influence of Food Habits on Morphological Parameters

In view of the great diversity of dietary habits among bats, and the need for morphological adaptations in their digestive system, this study characterized and compared the morphology of the small (SI) and large intestines (LI) of the bats Artibeus planirostris (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) and Diphylla ecaudata (Phyllostomidae: Desmodontinae), and interpret their morphologies in the context of dietary differences. We hypothesized that diet could influence the morphological characteristics in these two species by means of a more complex intestinal morphology in A. planirostris than in D. ecaudata. The intestines were histologically processed, stained, and analyzed. Despite body mass differences, total intestinal length were almost two folds higher in A. planirostris than in D. ecaudata, and the intestinal coefficient, which quantifies the investment in intestines in relation to the body mass, wasn't statistically different. Macroscopically, no distinction was observed between the SI and LI, and few differences allowed to distinguish histologically the regions of the SI in both species. We found a typical organization of Peyer's patches only in D. ecaudata. Enteroendocrine cells were more frequently observed at caudal parts of the small intestine in both species. In A. planirostris, the SI diameter, the thickness of its wall, and the thickness and percentage occupied by the mucosal layer, as well as the wall thickness of its LI, were greater than those in D. ecaudata. Circular folds were observed only in the LI of A. planirostris. We speculate that these differences represent strategies to increase the contact surface available to optimize nutrient uptake in A. planirostris; while the hematophagous feeding habit of D. ecaudata, predominantly proteinaceous and semifluid, has a gut wall characterized with less morphological complexity and specializations; which confirms our hypothesis. Based on the similarities and differences founded, it can be concluded for both species that the reduction in the anatomical structures, associated with the microscopic findings, allows to optimize the absorption of nutrients and water in these bats when compared to other mammals; a similar pattern to that found in other chiropterans.

Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) in free-ranging bats from Southern Brazil

Hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) are bacteria distributed worldwide and affect domestic and wildlife animals and human beings. Hemoplasmas have been described infecting hematophagous and non-hematophagous bats; however, transmission risk and zoonotic potential in vampire bats remain to be fully established. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of hemotropic mycoplasma species in free-ranging bats from this area using a universal PCR protocol for hemoplasmas. Accordingly, ten blood samples were collected from six male common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), two male hairy-legged vampire bats (Diphylla ecaudata), and two female non-hematophagous Pallas's mastiff bats (Molossus sp.) from the Curitiba’s region, Paraná State, Southern Brazil. A total of eight (8/10) blood samples were positive byconventional PCR; five (5/6) Desmodus rotundus, two (2/2) Diphylla ecaudata, and one (1/2) Molossus sp. bats. The analyses of the partial sequence of the 16S rDNA gene suggest that the hemoplasma detected in Desmodus rotundus in South Brazil has a high identity compared to the hemoplasma circulating in vampire bats from Central and South America.

Testicular characterization and spermatogenesis of the hematophagous bat Diphylla ecaudata.

Diphylla ecaudata is a hematophagous bat endemic of South America, with food preference for bird blood. Given the lack of information about the reproductive activity of this species, this study aimed to describe the testicular morphology and histomorphometry of D. ecaudata in order to understand its reproductive biology, specially spermatogenesis. The animals were collected in Lajes city, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Following euthanasia, the testes were histologically processed for morphological, morphometric, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analyses. Their average body weight was 24.64g, with a gonadosomatic index of 0.49%, tubulesomatic index of 0.47%, and a total of 32.20m of seminiferous tubules per gram of testis. The pre-meiotic, meiotic, and post-meiotic phases accounted for 56.20%, 9.30%, and 34.50% of the seminiferous epithelium cycle, respectively. The ultrastructure of spermiogenesis was similar to that described in other mammals and the perforatorium was not observed in the sperm. Androgen receptors were detected in Sertoli cell nuclei and Leydig cell cytoplasm, while aromatase enzyme was detected only in Sertoli cell nuclei. FGF2 and BCL-2 activities were detected in the cytoplasm of zygotene and pachytene primary spermatocytes, as well as round and elongated spermatids. D. ecaudata showed testicular pattern similar to other mammals and characteristics common to other bat species. This species stood out for its high efficiency of Sertoli cells, which presented high capacity to support germ cells, besides the highest sperm production rates among those already recorded. This study is the first step towards the knowledge of D. ecaudata reproduction and the first description of its spermatogenesis.

Vampire bats.

Gerald Wilkinson introduces the blood-drinking vampire bats.

Genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in vampire bats from Brazil.

Recently, an increasing number of Bartonella species have been emerged to cause human diseases. Among animal reservoirs for Bartonella spp., bats stand out due to their high mobility, wide distribution, social behaviour and long-life span. Although studies on the role of vampire bats in the epidemiology of rabies have been extensively investigated in Latin America, information on the circulation and genetic diversity of Bartonella species in these bat species is scarce. In the present work, 208 vampire bats, namely Desmodus rotundus (the common vampire bat; n=167), Diphylla ecaudata (the hairy-legged vampire bat; n=32) and Diaemus youngii (the white-winged vampire bat; n=9) from 15 different states in Brazil were sampled. DNA was extracted from liver tissue samples and submitted to real-time PCR (qPCR) and conventional PCR (cPCR) assays for Bartonella spp. targeting five genetic loci, followed by phylogenetic and genotype network analyses. Fifty-one out of 208 liver samples (24.51%) were positive for Bartonella DNA in the ITS real-time PCR assay [40 (78.43%) of them were from D.rotundus from 11 states, and 11 (21.57%) samples from D.ecaudata from three states. Eleven genotypes were found for each gltA and rpoB genes. Several ITS sequences detected in the present study clustered within the lineage that includes B.bacilliformis and B.ancachensis. The Bayesian phylogenetic inference based on the gltA gene positioned the obtained sequences in six different clades, closely related to Bartonella genotypes previously detected in D.rotundus and associated ectoparasites sampled in Latin America. On the other hand, the Bartonella rpoB genotypes clustered together with the ruminant species, B.schoenbuchensis and B.chomelii. The present study describes for the first time the molecular detection of Bartonella spp. in D.ecaudata bats. It also indicates that Bartonella spp. of vampire bats are genetically diverse and geographically widespread in Brazil.

Diversidad y composición de murciélagos (Mammalia: Chiroptera) en el municipio de Acandí, Chocó - Colombia

En el marco del proyecto aplicación de la CTel para el mejoramiento del sector maderero en el departamento del Chocó, se determinó la diversidad y composición de la comunidad de murciélagos en el municipio de Acandí, departamento del Chocó – Colombia, se realizaron muestreos con redes de niebla durante 16 días del mes marzo de 2016, en una zona de bosque intervenido. Un total 39 individuos fueron registrados, agrupados en tres familias, tres subfamilias, nueve géneros y 13 especies. La familia Phyllostomidae fue la mejor representada con el 82,05% de los individuos colectados y diez especies. Al mismo tiempo la subfamilia Stenodermatinae fue la más abundante y diversa representando un 59% (n=23) con cinco géneros y ocho especies. A nivel de especies Urodela convexum, Carollia perspicillata y Artibeus lituratus fueron las más abundantes con el 46,2% del total de los individuos registrados en este estudio. De los tres gremios tróficos encontrados el frugívoro con un 76,92% (n=30), fue el mejor representado. Este estudio aporta un nuevo registro del murciélago de patas peludas Diphylla ecaudata para la región del Chocó-Biogeográfico colombiano, y amplía la distribución geográfica conocida para la especie en Colombia. Esta investigación evidencia la necesidad de estudiar sistemáticamente regiones que aportan datos importantes sobre la comunidad de murciélagos en Colombia.

2017 Ig Nobel Prizes

2017 Ig Nobel Prizes Research involving coffee’s movement when people walk backward, the diet of the hairy-legged vampire bat, and whether cats can be considered liquid or solid took home top honors at the 27th Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. The delightfully dubious distinctions, which “honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think,” were awarded on Sept. 14 at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre. The ceremony was put on by mirthful maestro Marc Abrahams and the whimsical wits of the Annals of Improbable Research. The Ig Nobel committee didn’t award a Chemistry Prize this year, but the research that earned the Fluid Dynamics Prize included the prized chemical caffeine. Jiwon Han was a high school student at the Korean Minjok Leadership Academy when he did his Ig Nobel-winning work on the dynamics of liquid sloshing (Achiev. Life Sci. 2016, DOI: 10.1016/j.als.2016.05.009). His goal? To find out exactly what

Reporte del vampiro de patas peludas Diphylla ecaudata Spix, 1823 (Chiroptera: Desmodontinae) para el Chocó biogeográfico colombiano

Se reporta un nuevo registro del vampiro de patas peludas Diphylla ecaudata (SPIX, 1823) en el Chocó Biogeográfico colombiano, del que solo se conocen pocos estudios en el país, registrada en los departamentos de Magdalena (1900), Vaupés (1966), Meta (1970), Caquetá (1999), Casanare (2013) y Amazonas (2016). Este registro se basa en dos especímenes que fueron debidamente analizados y depositados en la Colección Científica Teriológica del Grupo de Investigación en Manejo y Gestion de la Vida Silvestre del Chocó de la Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó (ColTer-Chocó). Este reporte amplía la distribución geográfica hasta el departamento del Chocó, en contraendose a 464.794 km aproximadamente del registro más cercano en el Magdalena, adicionando el ecosistema Bosque Seco Tropical (BST) a los hábitats ocurridos por la especie. Debido a su curiosidad, se discute la información disponible sobre esta especie en el país en términos de su distribución y ecología, a partir de ejemplares en colecciones y reportes existentes. Este registro ayuda a llenar un vacío de la distribución geográfica conocida de la especie en el país.

Research on bats (Chiroptera) from the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil: annotated species list and bibliographic review

The state of São Paulo has a high number of mammal species, a great part of those is represented by bats. In this study I conducted historical review about the research on bats from the state of São Paulo and provide the first annotated species list and bibliographic review for the state. A total of 79 extant species belonging to eight families of bats occur in São Paulo. At least seven species are represented by fossils, two of these are extinct. I also present new records of rarely sampled species in the state such as Diaemus youngii, Diphylla ecaudata, Saccopteryx leptura, Thyroptera tricolor and Micronycteris microtis. Three species, Micronycteris brosseti, Mimon crenulatum and Uroderma bilobatum were removed from the list. Also is confirmed the occurrence of Histiotus montanus and Molossus aztecus in the state.

What is for Dinner? First Report of Human Blood in the Diet of the Hairy-Legged Vampire Bat Diphylla ecaudata

Blood-feeding is one of the most specialized foraging habits, as it demands extreme morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations. Three species of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus, Diaemus youngi, and Diphylla ecaudata) rely on blood as their only food. The first two are considered less specialized, whereas D. ecaudata is frequently pointed out as a bird-specialist. We assessed what prey D. ecaudata consumes in the Caatinga dry forests of northeastern Brazil, a highly modified biome. How the species would behave in a situation of scarcity of wild birds and increase in the availability of domestic animals? Could Diphylla have been induced to include also mammals in its diet? Using PCR-amplification of DNA fragments in the feces of D. ecaudata, we detected the regular consumption of chicken blood and human blood — a novel prey for this species. Our results suggest that the diet of D. ecaudata is more flexible than expected. The record of humans as prey and the absence of blood from native species...

Records of Bat Flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) in the Semi-Arid Caatinga in the State of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil.

One of the largest gaps in the knowledge of ectoparasitic flies of the families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae in Brazil is the northeastern region, where most states do not have any record. Here, we present the first records of those two bat fly families for the state of Paraíba. We recorded a total of 10 species of five genera parasitizing eight bat species of four families. Trichobius diphyllae Wenzel (Streblidae) was the most abundant species, found parasitizing Diphylla ecaudata (Phyllostomidae), and T. dugesioides dugesioides Wenzel, the second, found on Trachops cirrhosus (Phyllostomidae). Three species were recorded for the first time in northeastern Brazil and seven species are new for the semi-arid Caatinga. We collected T. galei Wenzel and T. pallidus (Curran) on Natalus macrourus (Natalidae) and Furipterus horrens (Furipteridae), respectively, two endangered bat species, and the species-specific relationship with their hosts points out to some degree of vulnerability. In addition, we present information on host-parasite relationship, and data that extend the known geographic distribution of some species.

Update on the distribution of Diphylla ecaudata Spix, 1823 (Mammalia, Chiroptera): new records from the Brazilian northeast

The subfamily Desmodontinae encompasses the only mammals known to feed exclusively on the blood of other vertebrates. This study provides records of the desmodontine bat Diphylla ecaudata from a major gap in its known distribution in northeastern Brazil. Specimens were captured at five localities, all associated with caves. Two of these sites are located in the state of Sergipe, two in Bahia, and one in Ceará. The record of D. ecaudata from Ceará is the first for this state.

What difference exists in the pancreas of mammals with sanguivorous diet? A morphological, stereological and immunohistochemical study of the pancreatic islets of the hematophagous bat Diphylla ecaudata

Diphylla ecaudata is a vampire bat that mainly feeds on the blood of birds. This highly specialized diet - hematophagy – is accompanied by a series of morphological changes in the gastro-entero-pancreatic system, since the distribution and relative proportions of different pancreatic endocrine cell types can vary between species due to different physiological conditions and eating habits. The aim of this study was to examine for the first time the pancreas of the vampire bat D. ecaudata using morphological, stereological and immunohistochemical techniques. The pancreas of the D. ecaudata has an exocrine acinar portion in which the highest concentration of pancreatic islets is scattered. These pancreatic islets have irregular size and a mean diameter of 56.94μm. The total number of islets in the pancreas was 23,900, with a volumetric density of 4.1%. Insulin-immunoreactive (IR) cells were located in the central pancreatic islet region and had the largest density (54.8%). Glucagon-IR cells were located mainly in the peripheral mantle region (16.2%), along with somatostatin-IR (SS) cells (14.3%). Cells immunoreactive to insulin, glucagon and somatostatin were also observed to have spread in isolated places in the exocrine pancreas. In the connective tissue near the pancreatic ducts, a high concentration was identified of insulin-IR cells and a low concentration of glucagon-IR and somatostatin-IR cells. These results indicate that although the pancreas of D. ecaudata has morphological similarities with that of other mammals, it has a differentiated islet structure, because there were a large number of islets and different volumetric densities of α, β and δ cells.

Uma breve história dos morcegos vampiros (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae, Desmodontinae) no Brasil colônia

Out of 167 species of Chiroptera reported for Brazil, only three representatives of Desmodontinae (Phyllostomidae) are hematophagous, a unique feature among the known species of bats. This reduced group includes Desmodus rotundus, Diaemus youngi and Diphylla ecaudata, all widely distributed over Central and South America. The first notice about vampire bats appeared in the beginning of the 16th century, in the tenth book of the first “Decade” of Pietro Martire de Anghiera (1511), related to the exploration of the continent. For Brazil, the oldest citation of blood-sucking bats was due to Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca (1555). Exceedingly abundant, those bats attacked human beings and caused serious damage to herds, being extremely difficult to control due to the scarce means available during colonial times. Among those, special mention should be made to the “gatos morcegueiros” (literally “bat-hunting cats”), individuals of Felis catus used to catch vampire bats in houses and corrals. Mentioned at least since the first half of the 18th century, those cats were included in property valuations and reached the price of several heads of cattle. Even nowadays, domestic cats are efficient predators of hematophagous bats in rural areas of Brazil and Argentina. Judging from historical records, the problems now caused by bloodsucking bats should not be regarded as one of the consequences of an omnipresent “ecological unbalance”, caused by a shortage of natural hosts and/or the loss of natural habitats. A highly plastic and opportunistic species such as Desmodus rotundus became adapted with extreme efficiency to the new environment, predominantly modeled by the expansion of cattle breeding, the progressive confinement of the herds, and the construction of buildings affording shelter for the bats. These are factors that would have promoted the explosive growth of an already substantially large original population of bats, to the point of converting it into an authentic pest.

Detection of hantavirus in bats from remaining rain forest in São Paulo, Brazil

BackgroundThe significant biodiversity found in Brazil is a potential for the emergence of new zoonoses. Study in some places of the world suggest of the presence to hantavirus in tissues of bats. Researches of hantavirus in wildlife, out rodents, are very scarce in Brazil. Therefore we decided to investigate in tissues of different species of wild animals captured in the same region where rodents were detected positive for this virus. The present work analyzed ninety-one animals (64 rodents, 19 opossums, and 8 bats) from a region of the Atlantic forest in Biritiba Mirin City, São Paulo State, Brazil. Lungs and kidneys were used for RNA extraction.FindingsThe samples were screened for evidence of hantavirus infection by SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR. Sixteen samples positive were encountered among the wild rodents, bats, and opossums. The detection of hantavirus in the lungs and kidneys of three marsupial species (Micoureus paraguayanus, Monodelphis ihering, and Didelphis aurita) as well in two species of bats (Diphylla ecaudata and Anoura caudifer) is of significance because these new hosts could represent an important virus reservoirs.ConclusionsThe analysis of nucleotide sequences of the partial S segment revealed that these genes were more related to the Araraquara virus strains. This work reinforces the importance of studying hantavirus in different animal species and performing a continued surveillance before this virus spreads in new hosts and generated serious problems in public health.