Ectoparasites of bats (Chiroptera, Furipteridae), with a description
of a new species of Synthesiostrebla Townsend (Diptera, Streblidae)
from Brazil
Gustavo Graciolli1,3 & Alexsander Araújo Azevedo2
Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Caixa Postal 549, 79070–900
Campo Grande-MS, Brasil. ggraciolli@yahoo.com.br
2
Instituto Biotrópicos, Beco do Izidoro, 12A, Centro, 39100–000 Diamantina-MG, Brasil.
3
Fellowship CNPq.
1
ABSTRACT. Ectoparasites of bats (Chiroptera, Furipteridae), with a description of a new species of Synthesiostrebla Townsend
(Diptera, Streblidae) from Brazil. Records of ectoparasites from furipterid bats are restricted to bat flies (Streblidae). Only three
streblid species were known before this work: Trichobius pallidus (Curran, 1934), Strebla wiedemanni Kolenati, 1856, and
Synthesiostrebla amorphochili Townsend, 1913. A second species of Synthesiostrebla is described here, increasing the geographical distribution of the genus to east of the Andes. Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov. was found on Furipterus horrens (Cuvier,
1828) in southeastern Brazil. Anterior parts of the body, wing, tergite 7, epiproct and male genitalia are illustrated, and a key to
females for species of Synthesiostrebla is provided.
KEYWORDS. Bat flies; Brazil; cis-andean; Furipteridae; taxonomy.
RESUMO. Ectoparasitos de morcegos (Chiroptera, Furipteridae), com a descrição de uma nova espécie de Synthesiostrebla Townsend
(Diptera, Streblidae) do Brasil. Os poucos dados sobre ectoparasitismo em morcegos furipterídeos são restritos a moscas (Streblidae).
Somente três espécies de estreblídeos eram conhecidas antes desse trabalho: Trichobius pallidus (Curran, 1934), Strebla wiedemanni
Kolenati, 1856, and Synthesiostrebla amorphochili Townsend, 1913. Outra espécie de Synthesiostrebla é descrita aqui aumentando
a distribuição geográfica do gênero para o lado leste dos Andes. Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov. foi encontrada sobre Furipterus
horrens (Cuvier, 1828) no sudeste do Brasil. Região anterior do corpo, asa, tergito 7, epiprocto e genitália masculina são ilustrados
e uma chave de identificação para fêmeas também é apresentada.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE. Moscas ectoparasitas de morcegos; Brasil; cis-andina; Furipteridae; taxonomia.
Townsend (1913) erected Synthesiostrebla (Diptera,
Streblidae) as a monotypic genus, describing a new species,
Synthesiostrebla amorphochili, based on a female specimen
collected on Amorphochilus schnablii (Chiroptera, Furipteridae)
from Piura (5°12’S, 80°38’W), Peru. The species was later redescribed by Jobling (1947), who used another female specimen that was collected on the same host species from Tambo
Valley, east Chucarapi (17°10’S, 71°44’W), Arequipa, Peru. For
almost 100 years since original description, Synthesiostrebla was
considered a monotypic genus, with a geographical distribution
restricted to the west side of the Andes, mirroring its host’s distributional range (Fig. 1).
The few records of ectoparasites of furipterid bats are restricted to Streblidae. In addition to Synthesiostrebla, Wenzel
et al. (1966) noted an undescribed species of Trichobius
pallidus group on A. schnablii from Peru, and Guerrero (1994)
recorded Trichobius pallidus (Curran, 1934) on F. horrens from
Guyana and Venezuela. Graciolli et al. (2008) recorded T.
pallidus and Strebla wiedemanni Kolenati, 1856, an accidental record, on F. horrens in Brazil.
Furipteridae comprises two monotypic genera of bats,
Amorphochilus Peters, 1877 and Furipterus Bonaparte, 1837
(Simmons 2005). Amorphochilus schnablii Peters, 1877 is
distributed west of the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, and Chile
(Barquez & Diaz 2008), while Furipterus horrens (Cuvier,
1828) has a broader distribution, found in Costa Rica,
Trinidad, and in northern South America, including Peru and
east into large portions of Brazil (Miller et al. 2008) (Fig. 1).
Here, we describe a new species of Synthesiostrebla collected on F. horrens from Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil, establishing a disjunct distribution of the two species
known from the genus.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Morphological terminology follows Wenzel & Peterson
(1987). Measurements were made with the aid of Leica
(LAS Leica™ software. Body length was measured from
the anterior margin of the palpi to the apex of the abdomen.
Specimen images were made on microscopy M205 with
camera DF420C and processed by Leica (LAS LeicaTM)
software. Type material has been deposited at Museu de
Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
(MZSP).
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Graciolli & Azevedo
Colombia
Ecuador
1
Venezuela
Guyana
2
Colombia
Brazil
3
Ecuador
Peru
Peru
Brazil
Bolivia
Bolivia
Paraguay
Chile
Chile
Argentina
Argentina
1
2
Figs. 1–2. Geographical distribution of the hosts (Chiroptera: Furipteridae) (shared area) and their parasites species of Synthesiostrebla (Diptera: Streblidae),
indicating restricted localities where the last ones were recorded: 1. Amorphochilus schnablii Peters and Synthesiostrebla amorphochili Townsend –
modified of Barquez & Diaz (2008). 2. Furipterus horrens (Cuvier) and Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov.; 1, Trinidad; 2, Suriname; 3; French Guiana
– modified of Miller et al. (2008).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Synthesiostrebla Townsend, 1913
Townsend, 1913: 99. Type species: Synthesiostrebla amorphochili, by original designation.
Bequaert, 1942: 85 (key). Jobling, 1947: 39 (redescription). Wenzel et al., 1966: (key).
Diagnosis (modified from Jobling (1947)). Occipital lobes
broadly rounded. Mediovertex with elliptical sclerite. Middle
of anterior margin of prescutum with 2 closely placed, sharp
teeth which fit into grooves on the posterior part of the head
(Figs. 3–5); proespisternum 1 strong (Figs. 4–5), with flat
projections which fit under posteroventral margin of head.
Scutellum broadly triangular, with four setae, two long and
discal and two short, each near the lateral margins (Fig. 3).
Mesosternum narrower than mesonotum. Leg 3 as long as
body (Fig. 3). Tibiae 1 with a row of eight strong setae on the
antero-dorsal surface. R vein curved. R2+3 up to C. r-m near
fork of Rs (Figs. 3, 6).
4
3
Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov.
(Figs. 2, 5–9)
Description. Body length (on slide). Holotype female
1.735 mm; male 1.599 mm
Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 55(4): 501–504, dezembro, 2011
Figs. 3–4. Synthesiostrebla amorphochili: 3, habitus, dorsal view – after
Jobling (1947); 4, head and anterior part of thorax, dorsal view – after
Jobling (1949). Abbreviations: G: occipital lobe; h: proespisternum 1.
Ectoparasites of bats with a description of a new species of Synthesiostrebla from Brazil
Head. Laterovertex short, lobed, and with seven setae (Fig.
5). Occipital lobes with 18 sparse setae (Fig. 5).
Thorax. Teeth in the anterior margin of prescutum each
with an apical seta (Fig. 5). Five to six spiniform setae near
the anterior margin of prescutum. Each side of prescutum with
18 to 21 setae. Longitudinal suture united with transverse suture. Scutum with 24 discal setae and about 10 antescutellar
setae (Fig. 6). Two episternal setae. Legs, femur 1 with a row
of six strong setae on dorsal surface. Basitarsum 3 as long as
following two tarsomeres combined. Wing, R with two setae;
M4+Cu1(Cu1) with two long setae (Fig. 7).
Abdomen. Lateral connexivum with long setae. Female.
Tergite 7 transverse and united to epiproct, with two pairs of
lateral setae of similar length (Fig. 8). Epiproct with four
long setae and one pair of discal setae (Fig. 8). Sternite 2
with 19 discal setae and 11 along the posterior margin. Sternite 7 divided in two semicircles, each with 12–13 setae. Male.
Sternite 2 with 14 discal setae and eight alongthe posterior
margin. Sternite 5 subtriangular with 27 discal setae and 12
along the posterior margin, some of which are as long or
longer than sternite 5. Syntergosternite 7+8 with three setae
on each side. Gonopods curved with two gonopophyseal setae of similar length (Fig. 9).
Holotype. 1 female (MZSP), Brazil, Minas Gerais,
Itacarambi (44º05’W, 15º05’S) on Furipterus horrens, 09/
XII/1997; A.A. Azevedo leg.
Paratype. 1 male (MZSP), Brazil, Minas Gerais, Cavernas
do Peruaçú National Park (44º27’W, 15º48’S) on F. horrens,
10/XII/1997; A.A. Azevedo leg.
Etymology. The name “cisandina” is a reference to “cisandean”, signifying that this is the first distributional record
of Synthesiostrebla from opposite sides of the Andes.
The taxonomic key below can be used to identify only
females of Synthesiostrebla, because the male of S.
amorphochili is unknown.
Key to the species Synthesiostrebla (females)
1. Body length: 1.0 to 1.4 mm. Occipital lobes greatly developed, covering the laterovertex (Figs. 3–4). Teeth on the
anterior margin of prescutum without apical setae.
Basitarsum 3 as long as following four tarsomeres combined (Fig. 3). Wing, R with four to f ive setae;
M4+Cu1(Cu1) with three long setae (Fig. 3). Epiproct with
two pair of discal setae (Fig. 3) .......................................
........................ Synthesiostrebla amorphochili Townsend
1’. Body length: 1.735 mm. Occipital lobes not covering the
laterovertex (Fig. 5). Teeth on the anterior margin of
prescutum each with an apical seta (Figs. 5–6). Basitarsum
3 as long as following two tarsomeres combined. Wing, R
with two setae; M4+Cu1(Cu1) with two long setae (Fig. 7).
Epiproct with one pair of discal setae (Fig. 8) ................
.................................. Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov.
The degree of occipital lobe development, presence of
mesonotal teeth and strong proespisternum 1 in Synthesiostrebla are characteristics unique among the streblid bat flies.
Wenzel et al. (1966) aligned (albeit doubtfully), Synthesio-
503
5
6
7
Figs. 5–7. Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov.: 5, head, dorsal view; 6,
mesonotum; 7, wing. Abbreviations: E: eye; LO: occipital lobe; LV:
laterovertex; MVS: mediovertex sclerite; P: maxillary palp.
strebla near to Trichobius pallidus within the Trichobiinae.
A female of T. pallidus was also collected on the same
bat individual that hosted the male paratype of S. cisandina.
This record re-confirms the relation between this bat fly species and F. horrens, as have been related previously (Guerrero,
1994; Graciolli et al. 2008).
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Graciolli & Azevedo
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Dra. Valéria da Cunha Tavares by
identification of the host bats and by coordination of the expedition that resulted in collection of this new bat fly species
and Carl W. Dick for reviewing the English.
REFERENCES
8
0.05 mm
0.10 mm
9
Figs. 8–9. Synthesiostrebla cisandina sp. nov.: 8, tergite 7 and epiproct; 9,
male genitalia.
Graciolli & Dick (2009) pointed out that when a bat fly
species occurs exclusively on a host species that is threatened
or endangered of extinction, it also should receive at least the
same heightened status as the host. As Synthesiostrebla
amorphochili parasites a bat species considered endangered
by IUCN (Barquez & Diaz 2008), we consider this bat fly to
be endangered as well. However, the same consideration cannot be affirmed for S. cisandina.
Parasitological indices are not yet available for Synthesiostrebla. Only two specimens of each species are known in the
literature. The distribution of these bat flies species likely corresponds to the distribution of their respective host species.
Alternatively, S. cisandina may be considered rare in nature.
Although its host, F. horrens, has a wide distribution, it is known
to be rare locally (Miller et al. 2008). More information is
needed to understand these host-parasite relationships.
Received 27/4/2011; accepted 2/12/2011
Editor: Marcia Souto Couri
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