title: Parasite-host interactions of bat flies (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) in Brazilian tropical dry forests.
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.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratório de Controle Biológico, Campus Universitário Professor Darcy Ribeiro, s/n - Vila Mauricéia, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil. pedrobio.vasconcelos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro Fonseca
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, Campus UFMG - ICB E3-, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Alberto Dolabela
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul,Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde,Coleção Zoológica., Cidade Universitária, s/n, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Graciolli
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Laboratório de Controle Biológico, Campus Universitário Professor Darcy Ribeiro, s/n - Vila Mauricéia, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Magno Augusto Zazá
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Borges
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D004175:Diptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D065928:Forests; D058507:Host Specificity; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D015995:Prevalence; D014329:Tropical Climate
keywords: Chiroptera; Ectoparasitic; Nycteribiidae; Specificity; Streblidae