Aspectos ecológicos das relações parasita-hospedeiro em morcegos na Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul

• Ano de defesa: 2023
• Autor(a) principal: CAROLINA BARBOSA DE SOUZA
• Orientador(a): Fernando Paiva
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Fundação Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
• País: Brasil
• Palavras-chave em Português: 123
• Link de acesso: https://repositorio.ufms.br/handle/123456789/8586

The diversity of feeding and lifestyle habits exhibited by bats favors the occurrence of a rich parasitic fauna; these functional attributes expose them to different parasitic groups and provide parasites with the opportunity to exploit different ecological niches. Therefore, bats constitute a group of hosts with potential for studies on parasitological dynamics. The aim of this study was to describe the composition and structure of endoparasite communities in cave-dwelling bats with different feeding habits, captured in the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. This study involved parasitological diagnosis through necropsy of 68 bats, distributed among twelve species belonging to three families: Anoura caudifer, Glossophaga soricina (nectarivores; Phyllostomidae), Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium cf., Micronycteris microtis cf., Micronycteris sanborni cf., Platyrrhinus lineatus (Phyllostomidae), Phyllostomus hastatus (Phyllostomidae), Chrotopterus auritus (Phyllostomidae), Desmodus rotundus (Phyllostomidae), Peropteryx macrotis (Emballonuridae), and Natalus macrourus (Natalidae). Bats with insectivorous, carnivorous, hematophagous, frugivorous, nectarivorous, and omnivorous feeding habits were found. A total of 207 helminth specimens were identified, including Rictularia sp., Capillaria sp., Seuratum sp. cf., Physaloptera sp., Litomosoides sp. (Nematoda), Vampirolepis sp., Diphyllobothriidae gen. sp., Urotrema scabridum, Prosthodendrium conturbatum, and Anenterotrema mesolecitha, in addition to the hematozoan Trypanosoma sp. Parasite prevalence varied among host species, and helminth abundance revealed a predominance of Trematoda species (70%). Bipartite network analysis revealed five modules, indicating specialized associations. Modularity, a feature of specialist interactions, was influenced by the host's diet, consistent with previous studies. Helminth specificity was related to bat diets, highlighting the influence of feeding on parasitic dynamics. For example, Chrotopterus auritus, a carnivorous bat, exhibited a greater diversity of connections with different parasitic groups. On the other hand, Desmodus rotundus, a hematophagous bat, showed parasitism only by Trypanosoma sp. This pioneering study in the region contributes to understanding the transmission patterns of helminths and trypanosomatids, emphasizing the importance of feeding habits in parasitic dynamics. These findings enhance knowledge about bat parasites in the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and will be crucial for future studies. KEYWORDS: Helminths; Endoparasites; Bats; Caves; Parasitic Ecology