Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies
Abstract Background Parasites are able to alter numerous aspects of their hosts’ life history, behaviour and distribution. One central question in parasitology is to determine the degree of impact that parasites have on their hosts. Laboulbeniales (Fungi: Ascomycota) are ectoparasitic fungi of arthr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-3895-8 |
| _version_ | 1818676088216223744 |
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| author | Tamara Szentiványi Péter Estók Romain Pigeault Philippe Christe Olivier Glaizot |
| author_facet | Tamara Szentiványi Péter Estók Romain Pigeault Philippe Christe Olivier Glaizot |
| author_sort | Tamara Szentiványi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Parasites are able to alter numerous aspects of their hosts’ life history, behaviour and distribution. One central question in parasitology is to determine the degree of impact that parasites have on their hosts. Laboulbeniales (Fungi: Ascomycota) are ectoparasitic fungi of arthropods. Even though these fungi are widely distributed, little is known about their ecology and their possible physiological effects on their hosts. We used a highly specific bat fly-fungi association to assess the effect of these fungal parasites on their dipteran hosts. Methods We collected bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) belonging to two species, Nycteribia schmidlii and Penicillidia conspicua from their bat host Miniopterus schreibersii (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae). We experimentally tested the effect of infection on the lifespan of bat flies. Results The prevalence of Laboulbeniales fungi was 17.9% in N. schmidlii and 64.8% in P. conspicua. Two fungi species were identified, Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae and A. nycteribiae, both showing strict host specificity with N. schmidlii and P. conspicua, respectively. We found that fungal infection reduced by half the survival rate of P. conspicua regardless of sex, whereas N. schmidlii was not affected by the infection. Moreover, the intensity of infection showed negative correlation with the lifespan of P. conspicua. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first indication that fungal infection can alter bat fly survival and thus may play a significant role in the population dynamics of these bat ectoparasites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T08:37:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84dcd4aeedb2483d95ef829d51bddffe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T08:37:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-84dcd4aeedb2483d95ef829d51bddffe2022-12-21T21:56:26ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052020-01-011311810.1186/s13071-020-3895-8Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat fliesTamara Szentiványi0Péter Estók1Romain Pigeault2Philippe Christe3Olivier Glaizot4Museum of Zoology, Palais de RumineDepartment of Zoology, Eszterházy Károly UniversityDepartment of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, BiophoreDepartment of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, BiophoreMuseum of Zoology, Palais de RumineAbstract Background Parasites are able to alter numerous aspects of their hosts’ life history, behaviour and distribution. One central question in parasitology is to determine the degree of impact that parasites have on their hosts. Laboulbeniales (Fungi: Ascomycota) are ectoparasitic fungi of arthropods. Even though these fungi are widely distributed, little is known about their ecology and their possible physiological effects on their hosts. We used a highly specific bat fly-fungi association to assess the effect of these fungal parasites on their dipteran hosts. Methods We collected bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) belonging to two species, Nycteribia schmidlii and Penicillidia conspicua from their bat host Miniopterus schreibersii (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae). We experimentally tested the effect of infection on the lifespan of bat flies. Results The prevalence of Laboulbeniales fungi was 17.9% in N. schmidlii and 64.8% in P. conspicua. Two fungi species were identified, Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae and A. nycteribiae, both showing strict host specificity with N. schmidlii and P. conspicua, respectively. We found that fungal infection reduced by half the survival rate of P. conspicua regardless of sex, whereas N. schmidlii was not affected by the infection. Moreover, the intensity of infection showed negative correlation with the lifespan of P. conspicua. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first indication that fungal infection can alter bat fly survival and thus may play a significant role in the population dynamics of these bat ectoparasites.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-3895-8BatEctoparasiteFungal infectionLaboulbenialesLifespanNycteribiidae |
| spellingShingle | Tamara Szentiványi Péter Estók Romain Pigeault Philippe Christe Olivier Glaizot Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies Parasites & Vectors Bat Ectoparasite Fungal infection Laboulbeniales Lifespan Nycteribiidae |
| title | Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies |
| title_full | Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies |
| title_fullStr | Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies |
| title_short | Effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies |
| title_sort | effects of fungal infection on the survival of parasitic bat flies |
| topic | Bat Ectoparasite Fungal infection Laboulbeniales Lifespan Nycteribiidae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-3895-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tamaraszentivanyi effectsoffungalinfectiononthesurvivalofparasiticbatflies AT peterestok effectsoffungalinfectiononthesurvivalofparasiticbatflies AT romainpigeault effectsoffungalinfectiononthesurvivalofparasiticbatflies AT philippechriste effectsoffungalinfectiononthesurvivalofparasiticbatflies AT olivierglaizot effectsoffungalinfectiononthesurvivalofparasiticbatflies |