Authors
Sofia Lourenço, Jorge Mestre Palmeirim
Publication date
2008/12
Journal
Parasitology research
Volume
104
Pages
127-134
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Description
We studied the factors which regulate the reproduction of ectoparasites of temperate-zone cave-dwelling bats, using the Schreiber’s bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) and its ectoparasites as a model. For this, we searched 969 bats during 2003 and 2004 at important stages of the bat yearly cycle and found four ectoparasite species regularly occurring on them: two nycteribiids (Nycteribia schmidlii and Penicillidia conspicua), one wing mite (Spinturnix psi), and one hard tick (Ixodes simplex simplex). These parasites were present throughout the yearly cycle, but their reproductive activity greatly fluctuated seasonally. Also, we found that sex, age, and reproductive status of the host strongly influenced the reproductive activity of parasites. Overall, the four parasite species had a similar reproductive pattern, reproducing more intensively during the pregnancy and nursing seasons of M. schreibersii, mainly on …
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