title: Parasitism by Nycteribiidae and Streblidae Flies (Diptera) of a Malagasy Fruit Bat (Pteropodidae): Effects of Body Size and Throat Gland Development on Parasite Abundance.
abstract: We examined the possible effects of host body size and throat gland development on the abundance of blood-feeding nycteribiid and streblid flies parasitizing a Malagasy fruit bat, Rousettus madagascariensis G. Grandidier, 1928. Data were collected in the Parc National d'Ankarana in northern Madagascar during four visits: September 2014, 2015 (dry season), and January 2015, 2016 (wet season). Two bat fly species were identified, Eucampsipoda madagascarensis Theodor, 1955 (Nycteribiidae) and Megastrebla wenzeli (Jobling, 1952) (Streblidae). A positive correlation was found between host body size and abundance of E. madagascarensis during the four visits, suggesting that larger hosts have more parasites, and for M. wenzeli, this relationship was identified only during the wet season visits. In male hosts, body size and throat gland development are correlated with variation in E. madagascarensis abundance during the two seasons; this relationship was not found for M. wenzeli. We present some explanations for the observed patterns of bat fly abundance associated with throat gland development: increased vascularization and easier access to bloodmeals, chemical properties of gland secretions acting as attractants or perhaps being consumed, and modification of hair around the gland providing protection from bat grooming.
authors.affiliation: Association Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.|Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar.
authors.forename: Faneva I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Rajemison
authors.affiliation: Association Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.|Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar.
authors.forename: Oliva S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Noroalintseheno Lalarivoniaina
authors.affiliation: Association Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.|Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004175:Diptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008270:Madagascar; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011156:Population Density
keywords: Megastrebla wenzeli; Rousettus madagascariensis; body size, Eucampsipoda madagascarensis; throat gland