Epizoic Fauna Survey on Phyllostomid Bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in a Shaded Coffee Plantation of Southeastern Chiapas, Mexico.

This is the first complete assessment of the ectoparasite fauna on phyllostomid bats in a shaded coffee plantation in Mexico. The study was carried out at Finca San Carlos, in the municipality of Tapachula, southeastern Chiapas, Mexico. The bats were captured over three consecutive nights every month, from December 2005 to November 2006, using four mist nets. We captured 192 phyllostomid bats, representing 18 species, upon which 1,971 ectoparasites, belonging to 11 families and 65 species, were found. We found that 160 of the 192 captured bats were hosts to ectoparasites, giving an infestation prevalence of 83.3%. Of the 65 ectoparasitic species, 14 were classified as monoxenous and 17 as stenoxenous. More ectoparasites were recorded in the dry season (n = 1,439) than the wet season (n = 532), and we recorded some families of ectoparasite on particular areas of the bat body. An ordination of bat species, based on their ectoparasitic species community structure, formed groups at the subfamily level or lower taxonomic categories. We suggest that the close ectoparasite-host relationships could be examined as an additional tool to elucidate the taxonomic relationships between the hosts.

Redescription of Periglischrus herrerai (Acari: Spinturnicidae) Associated to Desmodus rotundus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Desmodontinae), With a Description of Adult Female Heteromorphism and an Analysis of its Variability Throughout the Neotropics.

A redescription, with a discussion of new features and illustrations, for all life stages is presented for the parasitic mite Periglischrus herrerai Machado-Allison associated with the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus (Geoffoy), including a description of the heteromorphic female and the first description of its female deutonymph. In addition, the morphological variation of P. herrerai is evaluated by morphometric analysis of the adults, concluding that there is an evident geographic variation throughout the neotropics. This study was possible by using type material of P. herrerai from the Machado-Allison collection, and voucher specimens from other collections, and specimens from an extensive surveying of hematophagous bats in some localities of the Pacific and Atlantic versants, and central Mexico.

Richness, infestation and specificity of spinturnicid mites (Acari: Spinturnicidae) on bats in southern Oaxaca, Mexico.

Studies of mites on bats in the Mexican state Oaxaca are scarce. Our objective was therefore to evaluate the richness, infestation, and specificity of spinturnicid mites on bats in southern Oaxaca, Mexico. Bats were monthly captured from April 2010 to February 2011, in four sites using four mist-nets; also, we visited natural (crevices) and artificial roosts (tunnel). Of each bat we account the number of spinturnicid mites, considering the area of the body where they were collected. Mites were preserved in 70 % ethanol and later they were mounted on microscope slides in Hoyer's medium. We captured bats of 15 species, of which eight species were infested. We recorded seven spinturnicid mites: five of the genus Periglischrus, one of the genus Cameronieta, and one of the genus Mesoperiglischrus. Periglischrus caligus, P. iheringi, and Periglischrus sp. are new records on Artibeus lituratus, Glossophaga soricina, and G. commissarisi, respectively. More infested bat species were Artibeus jamaicensis (93.8 %), A. lituratus (88.9 %), G. commissarisi and Sturnira parvidens (both 66.7 %). Prevalence of A. jamaicensis and A. lituratus was significantly higher than most other bat species. Although prevalence percentage was high, mean and median intensity were low. Spinturnicid mites were recorded in particular areas of a bat's body; therefore, they could be an additional tool for the taxonomic identification of bats.

A new species of Eudusbabekia (Acari: Prostigmata: Myobiidae) from Hart's little fruit bat, Enchistenes hartii (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), in southern Mexico.

Eudusbabekia paralepidoseta new species, was recorded on the Hart's little fruit bat Enchistenes hartii (Thomas) in the southern part of Mexico. The female and male are described and illustrated. E. paralepidoseta n. sp. represents the 32nd species in the genus. From the 31 known species of Eudusbabekia known to infest phyllostomid and mormoopid bats, E. paralepidoseta n. sp. has some morphological features similar to Eudusbabekia lepidoseta Jameson, 1971, including shapes of almost all dorsal and ventral setae; the presence of a patch of supernumerary; mostly broad to thick, medium, and almost scale-like setae; and the absence of setae 2b. However, E. paralepidoseta n. sp. can be differentiated from E. lepidoseta, by the reduced number of supernumerary setae on the female venter (37-43). The close morphological and therefore evolutionary similarities between E. lepidoseta and E. paralepidoseta n. sp. suggest possible close evolutionary relationships between their hosts, Sturnira lilium (Geoffroyi and St.-Hilaire) and E. hartii, which belong to the monophyletic subfamily Stenodermatinae.