Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2018; 6(1): 181-184

E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2018; 6(1): 181-184 A retrospective study of ectoparasites on Indian © 2018 JEZS pipistrelle ( coromandra) Received: 16-11-2017 Accepted: 21-12-2017

Dr. Pradeep Kumar Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Dr. Jitendra Tiwari, Dr. Daya Shanker and Dr. Alok Assistant Professor, Kumar Singh Department of Parasitology, Veterinary University, DUVASU, Mathura, Abstract U.P, Pipistrellus coromandra (Gray) is a species of bat belonging to family . It is also named as Indian pipistrelle because of its ubiquitous presence throughout India and for its jerky, erratic flight. In Dr. Jitendra Tiwari the present study 82 Indian pipistrelle including 28 males and 54 females were examined for the presence Assistant Professor, of ectoparasites over a period of three years between July 2014 and June 2017. were found infested Department of Parasitology, with one fly of Basilia spp. (6.09%), two mites of Chiroptonyssus spp. (30.48%) and Spinturnix spp. Veterinary University, (23.17%) along with a soft tick of Argas spp. (13.41%). About 60 (73.17%) under the study were DUVASU, Mathura, U.P, India found infested with any one or multiple ectoparasites. No internal parasite however, was found in the faecal examination. Monitoring the ectoparasites of Indian pipistrelle bat is important because the Dr. Daya Shanker animals is notoriously known to resides in close proximity with human shelters during day time and Professor & Head, entering into houses in search of insects at dusk, possibly acting as a source of infections to humans and Department of Parasitology other companion animals. However, literature is lacking information regarding types of parasitic Veterinary University, infections of this common bat. As per the available literature, this is the first documentation of parasitic DUVASU, Mathura, infestation of Pipistrellus coromandra. U.P, India Keywords: bats, ectoparasites, Mathura, occurrence, Uttar Pradesh Dr. Alok Kumar Singh Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary 1. Introduction Parasitology, College of Bats are the only capable of true flight. These are actively mobile during night and Veterinary Science & AH., have a wide distribution throughout the world. India has 123 species of bats including both Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, India fructivorous and insectivorous types [19]. Pipistrellus coromandra bats, under family Vespertilionidae, are commonly known as Indian pipistrelle because of its ubiquitous presence [16] throughout India and for its jerky, erratic flight . This widely distributed species is found throughout most of South Asia, parts of southern China and much of mainland Southeast Asia [5]. The is found in varied habitat from forested regions, agricultural landscapes to urban areas. It roosts in trees, crevices in walls, ceilings of houses, tiles of huts, old buildings, temples, under bark and tree hollows in small groups of few individuals [16].

Warm blooded animals like mammals are usually found infested with ectoparasites. Chances of getting infestation increases in case of bats because of the presence of a dense hair coat over their body. Bats have been reported parasitized by a number of ectoparasites including mites, bat flies, ticks and fleas and simultaneous infestation by some or all of these parasites are possible [21]. Previous studies suggest that two families of flies namely Nycteribiidae and Streblidae are exclusively bat ectoparasites [2]. Various parasitic mites were also recorded on [10, 14] bats by other workers . Indian Pipistrelle is a small sized insectivorous bat that hunts on flies, ants and other small insects. These bats frequently found residing in the cracks and crevices of the residential buildings of the Veterinary University Mathura and often enter the residential buildings in

search of their food. In the present study, 82 adult Pipistrellus coromandra bats were collected over a period of three years after they get injured with ceiling fans in the households. Bats are often neglected by workers from being studied for their parasitic load largely due to Correspondence their social rejection, isolated habitats and thereby unavailability of the samples and Dr. Pradeep Kumar marginally also due to misconception of their relation with vampires. The present study Assistant Professor, reported the parasitic infestations of Pipistrellus coromandra from Mathura district of northern Department of Parasitology, Veterinary University, India. This is the first study of its type reporting the parasitic infestations of this common DUVASU, Mathura, roaming bat. Furthermore, the study will be helpful in determining the ability of these bats as U.P, India vectors of zoonotic as well as veterinary health importance parasites as these bats often resides ~ 181 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

in close proximity of human households.

2. Materials and Methods In the present study, a total of 82 bats were collected from the Veterinary University, DUVASU campus of Mathura after being injured in households from July 2014 to June 2017. The animals were carried to the Parasitology department of the University after securing properly in comfortable cotton beddings and were placed in the cages until treated for the injuries. The bats were identified as Pipistrellus coromandra (Fig.1) on the basis of their morphological characters. The season of collection and sex wise distribution of the animals were also recorded for further studies. In the laboratory, bats were examined thoroughly under the lens for ectoparasites. All the parts of body especially of the underside of wings, neck and inguinal regions were observed with the help of soft camel hair brush. The macroscopic

ectoparasites were collected with forceps and preserved in Fig. 3: Adult Chiroptonyssus spp. Mite 70% ethyl alcohol. The mange like regions over the surface coat was brushed and the material was again collected in 70% ethyl alcohol. The collected material was further processed as per the recommended guidelines for determination of mites [20].

Fig. 1: Adult Pipistrellus coromandra Fig. 4: Larva of Argas spp. tick

For the diagnosis of enteric parasites, faecal material was collected in a sterile polybag and further examined for parasitic infection through faecal floatation method [20]. Approximately two grams of sample was triturate with pastel and mortar in 15 ml saturated salt solution. The solution was sieved in a 15 ml tube, centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 3 minutes and the supernatant was examined on low power of microscope for the presence of parasitic stages. The individual macroscopic parasitic samples were examined microscopically and images were captured with the help of Motic Digital Microscope (DMWB series) and measured with the Motic Image Plus 2.0 ML software. To identify the collected parasites keys given elsewhere [1, 7, 6, 17] were taken into account. The holotype of the permanent mounts of the ticks, bat fly and mites were prepared on glass slides using DPX mountant and stored in the museum of Parasitology Department of Veterinary University Mathura. Fig. 2: Adult male Basilia spp. fly 3. Results and Discussion In the present study, out of the 82 injured bats 73 (89%) were collected during summer and monsoon season of the year and ~ 182 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

only nine (11%) were collected during the colder months of workers in India [11, 1]. the year. This wide difference between the two periods of the On the basis of morphological characters the mites under this year can be understand with the fact that electric fans are used study were identified as Chiroptonyssus spp. and Spinturnix in the households only during the hotter climatic conditions spp. The Chiroptonyssus spp. (Fig.3) was the most abundant and the bats entered in the premises in search of insects and prevalent in the present study, being found in 25 getting hurt by these fans. Abundance of insects around the (30.48%) bats. This mite had robust legs and well developed artificial light sources in the human households during spines over their body. This result agrees with the previous monsoon season might also be responsible for this wide studies [9, 15, 18]. variation in injury rate of bats during the two seasons. Mites of Spinturnix spp. had long peritreme. The body bends The examination of the injured animals collected in this study ventrally between second and third coxae. A row of setae revealed that 60 (73.17%) of the total 82 bats were infested were present posterior to stigmata. Anal shield had terminal with any one or multiple ectoparasites. The bats are naturally opening with a short post anal seta present. These mites were covered with a dense coating of fine hairs over their body. collected mostly under the wing membrane of bats. This coating might be helpful in providing favorable Occurrence of these mites over other types of bats was also environment for the ectoparasites as it helps in getting reported by different workers from various parts of world [13, covered-up beneath the coat and also it helps in the making a 14, 23]. strong hold over the body when the bat flies. Similar high During the study period, soft tick infestation was found in prevalence of the ectoparasites was also reported in some 13.41% of the collected bats. Based on the morphologic previous studies [4, 14]. characteristics the larvae were identified as of Argas spp. The ectoparasites collected during study include wingless fly, (Fig.4) of argasidae family. The collected larvae were of mites and larvae of soft tick. The percentage occurrence of about 3mm long and 3mm wide in size with brownish to these ectoparasites is given in Table 1. About six percent of yellow colour, peripherally translucent with slightly darker the animals were found infected with a wingless fly of Basilia coloration in middle portion. Body outline were subcircular spp. (Fig.2). The fly was identified on the basis of with finely granulated body integument. Larva of Argas spp. morphological characters given elsewhere [6]. This small fly reported over bats by from northwest Iran. Parasitic stages of comes under the family Nycteribiidae under Hippoboscid Argas spp. have been described previously by various group of dipteran flies. Basilia spp. are highly specialized scientists [8, 12]. ectoparasites of bats and are commonly called as bat fly. Like fleas, Nycteribiids possess several ctenidea or combs that 4. Conclusion facilitate the host attachment and prevent them from being Pipistrellus coromandra is the most common insectivorous brushed backwards from the fur [3]. bat in India that is also found in various other parts of the A total of eight flies were collected from the animals under world. Reports about occurrence of ectoparasites of this bat the study. The collected specimens were in the range of 3.0 - are not available. Therefore, the present study was conducted 3.5 mm in size. The microscopic study of the flies revealed to detect the occurrence of various ectoparasites of this the following morphological characteristics of the fly. species of bat for a period of three years. In this study, the Head – Vertex with 15 setae near anterior margin, between animals were found infested with three different types of the eyes. Anterior margin of each genae with seven to nine parasites including bat fly of Basilia spp., mites of setae and post-gena with two setae. Eyes with two lenses on a Chiroptonyssus spp. and Spinturnix spp. and larvae of Argas pigmented base. Head inserted in the middle of the thorax. spp. This is the first reporting of ectoparasites of Pipistrellus Thorax –Wider than long. Notopleura with 11 setae. Thoracic coromandra that is notoriously famous for its stay near the ctenidium with 13 spines. Second and third femora with bare human population. Further studies are needed to detect the anterior surface lacking sensory hairs near base. Sensila in the role of these ectoparasites in the transmission of pathogens of anterior margin of second and third femur are absent. Tibiae zoonotic or veterinary importance. with four conspicuous transverse rows of setae on grooves, the proximal of which is least conspicuous. Second tergite 5. Acknowledgements with convergent lateral margins and third sternite visible Authors are thankful to Veterinary University, (DUVASU) under the second sternite. Mathura for providing necessary facilities to conduct the Abdomen – All the four sternite have discal setae. Second research work. sternite wider than long, abdominal ctenidium with 35 juxtaposed spines. Genitalia with straight aedeagal apodeme. Table 1: Percentage prevalence of ectoparasites over Indian Aedeagus small, parallel sided. Anterior margin of first tergite pipistrelle

are subtrapezoid. Infestation No. of infested bats Prevalence The bat fly lives in between fur and on the wing membrane of Bat fly (Basilia spp.) 05 6.09% [6] bats where they feed the blood . This fly was reported on Mite (Chiroptonyssus spp.) 25 30.48% bat by various scientists from different states of India [22, 23]. Mite (Spinturnix spp.) 19 23.17% In this study, mites were found as most common parasitic Soft tick (Argas spp.) 11 13.41% infestation of bats and 44 (53.65%) of the animals were found infested with any one or both types of mites. This high rate of infestation of mites might be due to their social habit of living 6. References in small groups in close contact with each other. Mites are 1. Advani R, Vazirani TG. Studies on ectoparasites of bats permanent ectoparasites of their hosts the only possible mode of Rajasthan and Gujarat (India). Zoological Survey of of transmission of them is by close physical contact and thus India. Controller of Publications, ZSI, Calcutta. 1981; living habits of Indian pipistrelle favors their transmission 22:155. from one infected animal to the rest of them in the group. 2. Allen GM. The parasites of bats. Bats. Museum of Similar high occurrence of mites was also reported by other Comparative Zoology Cambridge. 1967; 368.

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