Cave bats and their ectoparasites in Bulabog Puti-an National Park, Dingle, Iloilo, Philippines
2017
Millado, R.H.
Studies on cave bat diversity in Panay Island are limited despite influx of bat researches in the Philippines. This aims to address these gaps on cave bat ecology and ectoparasites. Ten caves in Bulabog Puti-an National Park were surveyed in 2015 for bats, their ectoparasites, and human disturbance. A total of 436 bats comprising 12 species were captured including Eonycteris pelaea, Rousettus amplexicaudatus, Cynopterus brachyotis, Emballonura alecto, Taphozu smelanopogon, Hipposidero sdiadema, H. lekaguli, H. antricola, Rhinolophus arcuatus, R. virgo, R. macrotis, and Miniopterus australis. Notably, R. virgo, H. antricola, and, E. alecto were not previously recorded for the park while H. lekaguliis a new record for Panay. Some 567 ectoparasites belonging to 17 species were collected from bat hosts with varying parasite prevalence (15-83%; 46% overall). These include Nycteribiid and Streblid flies (Eucampsipoda inermis, E. sundaica, Leptocyclopodia ferrari mabuhaii, Nycteribidia allotopa, N. parvula, Penicillida acuminate, P. oligacantha, Phthiridium brachyacantha, Brachytarsina amboinensis, B. hoogstraali, B. cucullata, Megastrebla parvior, Raymondia pseudopagodarum), mites (Ancystropus eonycteris, Meristapis lateralis, M. mindanaoensis) and fleas (Thaumpsylla spp.). Impact from anthropogenic disturbances showed no significant change to species richness and abundance of bats and their ectoparasites. This implies that the park still maintains a healthy cave ecosystem with bats and ectoparasites being resilient in disturbed habitats, and therefore serves as integrated bioindicators of ecosystem health.
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