Insight into the Skin Mycobiota of Myotis myotis: How Age, Sex, and Biometric Traits Correlate with Fungal Diversity
2025
Justyna Borzęcka | Jakub Suchodolski | Magdalena Cal-Smok | Joanna Furmankiewicz | Rafał Ogórek
This study examines fungal diversity on the wing and tail membranes of the Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) in autumn, focusing on age, sex, forearm length, and weight. Samples from 15 bats in the Poł:om caves (Poland) were cultured at 5 °:C, 24 °:C, and 37 °:C. A total of 39 fungal species were identified, with higher diversity on wing membranes. The highest species count occurred at 24 °:C (35 species), followed by 5 °:C (19 species), and 37 °:C (11 species), indicating most isolates were psychrotolerant or mesophilic. The number of fungal species increased with the number of males (rS = 0.181, p = 0.518) and with bat age (rS = 0.190, p = 0.497), particularly in males (rS = 0.455, p = 0.186), and female age showed a negative correlation (rS = &minus:0.363, p = 0.548). In turn, the length of the female forearm as well as their body weight negatively affected the number of species occurring on their wing and tail membranes (rS = &minus:0.667, p = 0.219, and rS = &minus:0.975, p = 0.004, respectively). In the case of M. myotis males, positive effects of forearm length (rS = 0.341, p = 0.334) and body weight (rS = 0.210, p = 0.559) on the number of fungal species inhabiting them were noted. The most frequently isolated species was Apiospora arundinis. The absence of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) suggests caves, rather than bats, are the primary Pd reservoirs. The observed fungal diversity and its correlation with biometric traits may have implications for the health and ecology of M. myotis. The study establishes a baseline for understanding fungal-bat interactions, with potential relevance for disease surveillance and conservation strategies.
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