Title |
Parasite-host interactions of bat flies (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) in Brazilian tropical dry forests
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Published in |
Parasitology Research, October 2015
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DOI | 10.1007/s00436-015-4757-8 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Pedro Fonseca de Vasconcelos, Luiz Alberto Dolabela Falcão, Gustavo Graciolli, Magno Augusto Zazá Borges |
Abstract |
Studies on the parasitology of ectoparasitic bat flies are scarce, and they are needed to identify patterns in parasitism. Hence, in the present study, we assessed community composition, prevalence, average infestation intensity, and specificity in the fly-bat associations in Brazilian tropical dry forests. In order to do that, we used the parasitological indices known as prevalence and average infestation intensity, along with an index of host specificity. We collected 1098 bat flies of 38 species. Five of the associations found are new to Brazil, 9 are new to southeastern Brazil, and 10 are new to science. Average infestation intensity varied from 1 to 9 and prevalence 0 to 100 %. In terms of specificity, 76 % of the bat flies were associated to a single host (monoxenic). These results highlight the low capacity of bat flies to survive on a not usual host especially due to an immunological incompatibility between parasites and hosts and dispersal barriers. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United Kingdom | 2 | 33% |
Hungary | 2 | 33% |
Australia | 1 | 17% |
Unknown | 1 | 17% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 6 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Argentina | 1 | 2% |
Brazil | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 61 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 10 | 16% |
Student > Bachelor | 7 | 11% |
Researcher | 6 | 10% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 6 | 10% |
Student > Postgraduate | 5 | 8% |
Other | 11 | 17% |
Unknown | 18 | 29% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 23 | 37% |
Environmental Science | 11 | 17% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 4 | 6% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 3 | 5% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 2 | 3% |
Other | 3 | 5% |
Unknown | 17 | 27% |