The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)

The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)

In the present study, we investigated the prevalence and intensity of Hectopsylla pulex infection in Molossus rufus and Molossus molossus, the parasite's choice of attachment site, and whether this host-parasite system varies with host size. Twenty-four bats were captured by hand from the roof of a house in Southeastern Brazil. M. rufus exhibited a prevalence of 71.4% and the mean intensity averaged 5 ectoparasites per bat. M. molossus exhibited a prevalence of 90%, and the average mean intensity was 2.11 ectoparasites. The attachment sites were: ear, tragus, shoulder blade and tibia, anus, wing, axilla, mouth and dactylopatagium. A positive correlation was observed between the bats' weight and the number of fleas.

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Main Authors: Luz,Júlia Lins, Costa,Luciana de Moraes, Gomes,Luiz Antonio Costa, Esbérard,Carlos Eduardo Lustosa
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2009
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000400005
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spelling oai:scielo:S0074-027620090004000052009-08-24The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)Luz,Júlia LinsCosta,Luciana de MoraesGomes,Luiz Antonio CostaEsbérard,Carlos Eduardo Lustosa body mass infestation prevalence chiggerflea In the present study, we investigated the prevalence and intensity of Hectopsylla pulex infection in Molossus rufus and Molossus molossus, the parasite's choice of attachment site, and whether this host-parasite system varies with host size. Twenty-four bats were captured by hand from the roof of a house in Southeastern Brazil. M. rufus exhibited a prevalence of 71.4% and the mean intensity averaged 5 ectoparasites per bat. M. molossus exhibited a prevalence of 90%, and the average mean intensity was 2.11 ectoparasites. The attachment sites were: ear, tragus, shoulder blade and tibia, anus, wing, axilla, mouth and dactylopatagium. A positive correlation was observed between the bats' weight and the number of fleas.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessInstituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da SaúdeMemórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz v.104 n.4 20092009-07-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articletext/htmlhttp://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000400005en10.1590/S0074-02762009000400005
institution SCIELO
collection OJS
country Brasil
countrycode BR
component Revista
access En linea
databasecode rev-scielo-br
tag revista
region America del Sur
libraryname SciELO
language English
format Digital
author Luz,Júlia Lins
Costa,Luciana de Moraes
Gomes,Luiz Antonio Costa
Esbérard,Carlos Eduardo Lustosa
spellingShingle Luz,Júlia Lins
Costa,Luciana de Moraes
Gomes,Luiz Antonio Costa
Esbérard,Carlos Eduardo Lustosa
The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)
author_facet Luz,Júlia Lins
Costa,Luciana de Moraes
Gomes,Luiz Antonio Costa
Esbérard,Carlos Eduardo Lustosa
author_sort Luz,Júlia Lins
title The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)
title_short The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)
title_full The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)
title_fullStr The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)
title_full_unstemmed The chiggerflea Hectopsylla pulex (Siphonaptera: Tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)
title_sort chiggerflea hectopsylla pulex (siphonaptera: tungidae) as an ectoparasite of free-tailed bats (chiroptera: molossidae)
description In the present study, we investigated the prevalence and intensity of Hectopsylla pulex infection in Molossus rufus and Molossus molossus, the parasite's choice of attachment site, and whether this host-parasite system varies with host size. Twenty-four bats were captured by hand from the roof of a house in Southeastern Brazil. M. rufus exhibited a prevalence of 71.4% and the mean intensity averaged 5 ectoparasites per bat. M. molossus exhibited a prevalence of 90%, and the average mean intensity was 2.11 ectoparasites. The attachment sites were: ear, tragus, shoulder blade and tibia, anus, wing, axilla, mouth and dactylopatagium. A positive correlation was observed between the bats' weight and the number of fleas.
publisher Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde
publishDate 2009
url http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762009000400005
work_keys_str_mv AT luzjulialins thechiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT costalucianademoraes thechiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT gomesluizantoniocosta thechiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT esberardcarloseduardolustosa thechiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT luzjulialins chiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT costalucianademoraes chiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT gomesluizantoniocosta chiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
AT esberardcarloseduardolustosa chiggerfleahectopsyllapulexsiphonapteratungidaeasanectoparasiteoffreetailedbatschiropteramolossidae
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