Tropical Natural History 21(2): 244-262, August 2021 ©2021 by Chulalongkorn University A Checklist of Nycteribiid and Streblid Bat Flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) from Thailand with Thirteen New Records for the Country ABDULLOH SAMOH1, VATANYA PANTIP2 AND PIPAT SOISOOK1* 1Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum, Prince of Songkla University, Kho Hong, Hat Yai, Songkla, 90110, THAILAND 2Division of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Kho Hong, Hat Yai, Songkla, 90110, THAILAND *Corresponding author. Pipat Soisook ([email protected]) Received: 30 March 2021; Accepted: 24 June 2021 ABSTRACT.– The Nycteribiidae and Streblidae are known as two families of obligate blood sucking ectoparasites of bats. Recent data on nycteribiid and streblid bat flies collected from 15 provinces in Thailand during 2018–2020 are hereby presented with data from previous studies. This study recorded 26 species belonging to nine genera of Nycteribiidae and Streblidae known to be associated with 44 host bats species. Thirteen species of which, 11 nycteribiids and two streblids, are herein recorded from Thailand for the first time. Altogether with previously reported records, this paper lists a total of 59 known bat flies, 43 nycteribiids and 16 streblids, with their 63 associated host bat species. KEY WORDS: bats; bat flies; Chiroptera; checklist; Nycteribiidae; Streblidae appearance in the family Nycterbiidae, INTRODUCTION absent of eyes in some genera (e.g., Nycteribia, Phthiridium, and some species Bat flies (Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) of Basilia), and wingless; while the family have been known as blood-sucking ectoparasite Streblidae (such as Brachytarsina, Megastrebla, of bats and some literatures presumably Raymondia) is rather hairy than the former suggested that these flies can be transmitted family and having a pair of wings. severe diseases to animals. For example, Despite bats have been extensively dengue virus was detected simultaneously in surveyed by several biologists in Southeast streblid bat flies which were collected from Asia and clearly considered one of the Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy) from Mexico, hotspots of bat diversity of the world however this dengue virus has never been (Kingston, 2010; Francis, 2019), in term of reported transmission from flies to human their ectoparasitic flies, however, very few (Abundes-Gallegos et al., 2018). Globally, studies have been published. Azhar et al. these bat ectoparasitic flies reported to (2015) reported 15 species of bat flies were account more than 515 species (276 of recorded from 24 species of hosts from Nycteribiidae and 239 of Streblidae) Malaysia. In the Philippines, there are reports (Graciolli and Dick, 2018; Dick and of bat ectoparasites from Mount Makiling, Graciolli, 2013). These two families, the Luzon Island (Alvarez et al., 2015), Mindoro tiny-sized members of the superfamily Island (Alvarez et al., 2016), Marinduque Hippoboscoidea, can be distinguished from Island (Amarga et al., 2017), and most recently each other by the possess of a spider-like from Romblon Province (Amarga et al., 2020). SAMOH ET AL. — CHECKLIST OF NYCTERIBIID AND STREBLID BAT FLIES 245 In Thailand, the most comprehensive one Sirindhorn Natural History Museum was published 46 years ago (Hill and (PSUNHM), Prince of Songkla University. McNeely, 1975). It reported a total of 46 Individuals of the same bat fly species from species (32 species of Nycteribiidae and 14 a single host are either preserved in a species of Streblidae) collected throughout microtube referring to a single museum the country (Hill and McNeely, 1975). The code, or multiple microtubes with multiple most recent study was made in Sakaerat museum codes. External morphological Biosphere Reserve, northeastern Thailand features of bat flies were observed under by Aroon et al. (2015) whose reported seven stereomicroscope (Olympus-SZ40). For the male ectoparasites with five species of which are terminalia preparation, 10% KOH solution Nycteribiidae and Streblidae that associated was adopted to clear all sclerotized with three bat species. However, the authors structures of body part, and mounted with did not provide specific identification of glycerin on glass slides. these bat flies. This paper seeks to compile an up-to-date RESULTS AND DISCUSSION checklist of bat flies of the country, as well as provide baseline information on distribution Twenty-six species belonging to nine and bat flies and host association. genera of nycterbiid and streblid bat flies are found from 44 species of hosts collected MATERIALS AND METHODS during this study (Table 1). This result incorporated with those Streblidae and This study was carried out between 2018 Nycteribiidae reported in Hill and McNeely and 2020. Host bats were trapped by using (1975) increase the known bat flies in hand nets in caves, mist nets and harp traps Thailand to 59 species (Table 1). Thirteen at various habitat types such as by species of which have not been recorded waterfalls, over streams and nature trails in before in Thailand are herein listed (Fig. 1; tropical-lowland forest and mixed deciduous Table 1), together with the list of host bat forest in 15 provinces focusing in western species associated. Information of the new and peninsular Thailand (Fig. 1). Bats were materials, localities, habitats, and the host identified in the field with the aid of species based on this study are given below. identification key of Francis (2019) and the classification followed Simmons and SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT Cirranello (2020). Specimens of nycteribiid Order Diptera and streblid bat flies were gently picked out Suborder Brachycera from bats furs using tweezers and further Division Cyclorhapha species identified following a combination Superfamily Hippoboscoidea of available identification keys (Theodor and Family Nycteribiidae Samouelle, 1819 Moscona, 1954; Theodor, 1967 for Subfamily Cyclopodiinae Maa, 1965 Nycteribiidae; Jobling, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1951; Maa, 1971 for Streblidae). Genus Leptocyclopodia Theodor, 1959 Specimens of bat flies were preserved (Ferrari group) with 70% ethanol in microtubes and deposited at the Princess Maha Chakri Leptocyclopodia ferrarii (Rondani, 1878) 246 TROPICAL NATURAL HISTORY 21(2), AUGUST 2021 FIGURE 1. Provinces surveyed in this study (shaded in grey) and localities where species of new records were collected (see text for exact location). Dorsal views of new record species are also shown (not to scale). Material examined: THAILAND: on SAMOH ET AL. — CHECKLIST OF NYCTERIBIID AND STREBLID BAT FLIES 247 TABLE 1. Species list of ectoparasitic bat flies and bat hosts from Thailand Family Subfamily Bat flies Host bats Remarks Nycteribiidae Nycteribiinae Basilia sp. (nr. majuscula Edw.)A Pipistrellus sp. A Basilia sp. (nr. pudibunda) A Pipistrellus sp. A A A Basilia blainvillii amiculata Taphozous longimanus Basilia burmensis A Scotophilus sp. A A Scotophilus heathii Basilia chlamydophora A Scotophilus sp. A Basilia (Conotibia) comparB Kerivoula hardwickiiB New record Basilia hispidaB Tylonycteris malayanaB New record Basilia cf. magnoculaB Rhinolophus trifoliatusB New record A A Basilia majuscula Pipistrellus sp. Basilia pudibunda A Myotis sp. A Basilia (Paracyclopodia) roylii royliiB Scotophilus kuhliiB New record Basilia (Tripselia) coronata coronataB Glischropus tylopusB New record Nycteribia sp.B Myotis siligorensisB A A Nycteribia sp. Pipistrellus javanicus Nycteribia allotopa AB Miniopterus medius A Miniopterus schreibersii A* *=fuliginosus Miniopterus fuliginosusB Nycteribia allotopoidesB Miniopterus magnaterB New record Nycteribia cf. latitergaB Miniopterus magnaterB New record Nycteribia parvula A Hipposideros larvatus A Miniopterus medius A Miniopterus schreibersii A* *=fuliginosus AB B Nycteribia parvuloides Miniopterus fuliginosus Miniopterus sp. A A A Phthiridium burmense siamense Hipposideros armiger Hipposideros larvatus A Phthiridium caudatumAB Rhinolophus pusillusAB Rhinolophus refulgensB Rhinolophus sp. A B B Phthiridium cf. psiloterum Rhinolophus acuminatus New record Phthiridium chinense A Rhinolophus pusillus A Phthiridium euxestumB Rhinolophus malayanusB New record Hipposideros armigerB Hipposideros diademaB AB B Phthiridium fraternum Hipposideros bicolor Hipposideros cineraceus B Hipposideros diadema Hipposideros galeritus A B Hipposideros kunzi Hipposideros gentilisB B Hipposideros cf. gentilis Rhinolophus affinisAB B Rhinolophus coelophyllus Rhinolophus microglobosusB B Rhinolophus shameli Rhinolophus sthenoB A Material examined: THAILAND: on Rhinolophus sp. Phthiridium maximum A Hipposideros armiger 248 TROPICAL NATURAL HISTORY 21(2), AUGUST 2021 TABLE 1. (Continue) Family Subfamily Bat flies Host bats Remarks A A Phthiridium ornatum Rhinolophus coelophyllus A A Phthiridium szechuanum Rhinolophus malayanus B B Phthiridium aff. szechuanum Rhinolophus robinsoni New record B Rhinolophus malayanus B Rhinolophus macrotis Phthiridium sp.A Hipposideros lylei A A Hipposideros pratti * *=lylei ? Rhinolophus sp. A A Rhinolophus coelophyllus Rhinolophus malayanus A A Rhinolophus pearsoni Rhinolophus rex A* *not found in Thailand A Rhinolophus robinsoni Rhinolophus yunanensis A A* A A Phthiridium sp. Rhinolophus affinis *=Phthiridium sp. n. Rhinolophus coelophyllus Rhinolophus rouxi A* *=affinis ? A A Cyclopodinae Eucampsipoda inermis Cynopterus sphinx Eonycteris spelaea A A Rousettus leschenaulti Eucampsipoda latisternum A Cynopterus sphinx A A Eonycteris spelaea Rousettus leschenaulti