Additions of host associations and new records of bat ectoparasites of the families Spinturnicidae, Nycteribiidae and Streblidae from Honduras

Abstract

We captured mormoopids, phyllostomids, and vespertilionids in Honduras to collect bat ectoparasites. Two species of Spinturnicidae (Acari) are the first reports of this family in Honduras. One species of Basilia Miranda Ribeiro, 1903, and four of Streblidae are recorded for the first time in Honduras. With these results, the current species number of each family for Honduras are two species of Spinturnicidae, three of Nycteribiidae, and 48 of Streblidae. We compared the number of species of Streblidae and bats in Honduras to highly sampled countries in Central and South America. Clearly, more effort is still needed in Honduras, although this is the third attempt to study the bat ectoparasites in Honduras.