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Ectoparasite diversity and infection burden on two sympatric bat species, Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Broders, Hugh1; Sauk, Alexandra1

Published Jun 08, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h9w0vt4v3

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Abstract

Parasites are an abundant and diverse group of organisms that are often excluded from biodiversity surveys, limiting our understanding of host-parasite relationships and parasite diversity. Parasites are dependent on their hosts for survival and parasite populations are at risk if their host populations decline. The aim of our study was to quantify and compare the ectoparasite communities of two sympatric Atlantic Canadian bat species, Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis. Ectoparasites were collected from bats captured for research throughout Atlantic Canada between 1999 and 2017 during the active season (May to October). Ectoparasites were identified based on morphological characteristics. The prevalence and mean intensity of infection was calculated for each ectoparasite species per collection region and based on host age class and sex. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess host differences in infection by the two most abundant ectoparasites. Both bat species hosted ectoparasite communities dominated by the mite Spinturnix americanus and the flea Myodopsylla insignis with other ectoparasites being rarely encountered. Despite being the most common ectoparasites of both bat species, our results suggest that infections of these ectoparasites vary between them with M. insignis prevalence being greater on M. lucifugus and S. americanus prevalence being greater on M. septentrionalis. We suggest these differences in infection burden are related to the social and roosting behaviours of these hosts and the life history of the ectoparasites. Monitoring parasites concurrently with focal species is important for capturing this aspect of biodiversity and for understanding how host-parasite dynamics may be disrupted if hosts undergo drastic demographic changes.