Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis
Abstract Background Bats are important reservoir hosts for a variety of pathogens, some of which are transmitted by ectoparasite vectors including mites, fleas, lice, ticks, and bat flies (families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae). All these ectoparasite taxa are known to parasitize two endemic fruit b...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06805-z |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849767134533517312 |
|---|---|
| author | Angelo F. Andrianiaina Santino Andry Gwenddolen Kettenburg Hafaliana Christian Ranaivoson Vincent Lacoste Philippe Dussart Jean-Michel Heraud Theresa M. Laverty Sarah Guth Katherine I. Young Aristide Andrianarimisa Cara E. Brook |
| author_facet | Angelo F. Andrianiaina Santino Andry Gwenddolen Kettenburg Hafaliana Christian Ranaivoson Vincent Lacoste Philippe Dussart Jean-Michel Heraud Theresa M. Laverty Sarah Guth Katherine I. Young Aristide Andrianarimisa Cara E. Brook |
| author_sort | Angelo F. Andrianiaina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bats are important reservoir hosts for a variety of pathogens, some of which are transmitted by ectoparasite vectors including mites, fleas, lice, ticks, and bat flies (families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae). All these ectoparasite taxa are known to parasitize two endemic fruit bats of Madagascar, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis. We aimed to describe the diversity of ectoparasite infestation for both bat species through morphological observation and DNA barcoding and elucidate ecological and climatic correlates of seasonal nycteribiid parasitism of these hosts. Methods Eidolon dupreanum and R. madagascariensis fruit bats were live-captured in northern and central-eastern Madagascar periodically from 2013 to 2020. Ectoparasites on all captured bats were counted and identified in the field and then collected into ethanol. Field identification of a subset of samples was confirmed via microscopy and DNA barcoding of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 18S genes. The seasonal abundance of nycteribiid bat flies on both host bats was analyzed using generalized additive models, and the role of climate in driving this seasonality was assessed via cross-correlation analysis combined with generalized linear models. Phylogenetic trees were generated to compare COI and 18S sequences of Madagascar nycteribiid and streblid bat flies with available reference sequences from GenBank. Results Ectoparasites corresponding to four broad taxa (mites, ticks, fleas, and bat flies) were recovered from 628 of 873 E. dupreanum (71.9%) and 831 of 862 R. madagascariensis (96.4%). Eidolon dupreanum were most commonly parasitized by Cyclopodia dubia nycteribiids and R. madagascariensis by Eucampsipoda madagascariensis nycteribiids and Megastrebla wenzeli streblids. We observed significant seasonality in nycteribiid abundance on both bat hosts, which varied by bat sex and was positively correlated with lagged temperature, precipitation, and humidity variables. Barcoding sequences recovered for all three bat fly species grouped with previously reported sequences, confirming morphological species identification. Our study contributes the first DNA barcodes of any kind reported for M. wenzeli and the first 18S barcodes for C. dubia. Conclusions This study explores the diversity and abundance of ectoparasite burdens in two Malagasy fruit bat species, highlighting the importance of seasonal ecology and the influence of climate variables on parasitism, which correlates with resource availability. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5347e4bec60c4ea28d7ea6c1a8d33ed6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj-art-5347e4bec60c4ea28d7ea6c1a8d33ed62025-08-20T03:04:20ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052025-07-0118111610.1186/s13071-025-06805-zDiversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensisAngelo F. Andrianiaina0Santino Andry1Gwenddolen Kettenburg2Hafaliana Christian Ranaivoson3Vincent Lacoste4Philippe Dussart5Jean-Michel Heraud6Theresa M. Laverty7Sarah Guth8Katherine I. Young9Aristide Andrianarimisa10Cara E. Brook11Department of Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, University of AntananarivoDepartment of Entomology, University of AntananarivoDepartment of Ecology and Evolution, University of ChicagoDepartment of Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, University of AntananarivoVirology Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarVirology Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarVirology Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarDepartment of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State UniversityDepartment of Biology, Skyline CollegeDepartment of Biological SciencesDepartment of Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, University of AntananarivoDepartment of Ecology and Evolution, University of ChicagoAbstract Background Bats are important reservoir hosts for a variety of pathogens, some of which are transmitted by ectoparasite vectors including mites, fleas, lice, ticks, and bat flies (families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae). All these ectoparasite taxa are known to parasitize two endemic fruit bats of Madagascar, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis. We aimed to describe the diversity of ectoparasite infestation for both bat species through morphological observation and DNA barcoding and elucidate ecological and climatic correlates of seasonal nycteribiid parasitism of these hosts. Methods Eidolon dupreanum and R. madagascariensis fruit bats were live-captured in northern and central-eastern Madagascar periodically from 2013 to 2020. Ectoparasites on all captured bats were counted and identified in the field and then collected into ethanol. Field identification of a subset of samples was confirmed via microscopy and DNA barcoding of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 18S genes. The seasonal abundance of nycteribiid bat flies on both host bats was analyzed using generalized additive models, and the role of climate in driving this seasonality was assessed via cross-correlation analysis combined with generalized linear models. Phylogenetic trees were generated to compare COI and 18S sequences of Madagascar nycteribiid and streblid bat flies with available reference sequences from GenBank. Results Ectoparasites corresponding to four broad taxa (mites, ticks, fleas, and bat flies) were recovered from 628 of 873 E. dupreanum (71.9%) and 831 of 862 R. madagascariensis (96.4%). Eidolon dupreanum were most commonly parasitized by Cyclopodia dubia nycteribiids and R. madagascariensis by Eucampsipoda madagascariensis nycteribiids and Megastrebla wenzeli streblids. We observed significant seasonality in nycteribiid abundance on both bat hosts, which varied by bat sex and was positively correlated with lagged temperature, precipitation, and humidity variables. Barcoding sequences recovered for all three bat fly species grouped with previously reported sequences, confirming morphological species identification. Our study contributes the first DNA barcodes of any kind reported for M. wenzeli and the first 18S barcodes for C. dubia. Conclusions This study explores the diversity and abundance of ectoparasite burdens in two Malagasy fruit bat species, highlighting the importance of seasonal ecology and the influence of climate variables on parasitism, which correlates with resource availability. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06805-zBat flyBat ectoparasiteDNA barcodingEidolon dupreanumMadagascarNycteribiidae |
| spellingShingle | Angelo F. Andrianiaina Santino Andry Gwenddolen Kettenburg Hafaliana Christian Ranaivoson Vincent Lacoste Philippe Dussart Jean-Michel Heraud Theresa M. Laverty Sarah Guth Katherine I. Young Aristide Andrianarimisa Cara E. Brook Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis Parasites & Vectors Bat fly Bat ectoparasite DNA barcoding Eidolon dupreanum Madagascar Nycteribiidae |
| title | Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis |
| title_full | Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis |
| title_fullStr | Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis |
| title_short | Diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of Madagascar fruit bat, Eidolon dupreanum and Rousettus madagascariensis |
| title_sort | diversity and seasonality of ectoparasite burden on two species of madagascar fruit bat eidolon dupreanum and rousettus madagascariensis |
| topic | Bat fly Bat ectoparasite DNA barcoding Eidolon dupreanum Madagascar Nycteribiidae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06805-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT angelofandrianiaina diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT santinoandry diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT gwenddolenkettenburg diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT hafalianachristianranaivoson diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT vincentlacoste diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT philippedussart diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT jeanmichelheraud diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT theresamlaverty diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT sarahguth diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT katherineiyoung diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT aristideandrianarimisa diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis AT caraebrook diversityandseasonalityofectoparasiteburdenontwospeciesofmadagascarfruitbateidolondupreanumandrousettusmadagascariensis |