Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae)
by bats in western Palaearctic

J 2013

Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) by bats in western Palaearctic

BALVÍN, Ondřej, Martin ŠEVČÍK, Helena JAHELKOVÁ, Tomáš BARTONIČKA, Maria ORLOVA et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) by bats in western Palaearctic

Authors

BALVÍN, Ondřej (203 Czech Republic, guarantor), Martin ŠEVČÍK (703 Slovakia), Helena JAHELKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic), Tomáš BARTONIČKA (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Maria ORLOVA (643 Russian Federation) and Jitka VILÍMOVÁ (203 Czech Republic)

Edition

Vespertilio, Praha, Revúca, ČESON Praha, SON Revúca, 2013, 1213-6123

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

Czech Republic

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/13:00068450

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

Keywords in English

dispersal ecology ectoparasites bats roosting ecology

Abstract

V originále

The study of the dispersal mechanisms of organisms is key to understanding their ecology and diversity. The dispersal of parasites is usually mediated by their host. Cimicidae (Heteroptera) is a family of haematophagous ectoparasites for whom bats are the most common and original host. Cimicids spend most of their time in the bat roost, usually only attaching themselves to the body of their host to feed. Distances between bat roosts are too great for the bugs to cross so their transmissions between them are exclusively passive. In our study we present records of bugs found on bats outside roosts. Since adult bugs are more likely to start a new infestation, their high prevalence among these records suggests that the bugs intentionally remain attached to their host in order to disperse, rather than accidentally leaving the roost while feeding. The vast majority of the records come from the genus Nyctalus and some from the genus Pipistrellus, whilst only single findings come from other species. It is possible that this disproportion is caused by the different behaviour of bugs on different bat species. The frequency of transmissions of cimicids by particular bat species correlate with the extent of the migratory behaviour of the bats. However, it is also possible that it is caused by an unequal opportunity to fly out attached to the bat due to the different roosting ecology and behaviour of the bat species.

Links

MSM0021622416, plan (intention)

Name: Diverzita biotických společenstev a populací: kauzální analýza variability v prostoru a čase

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Diversity of Biotic Communities and Populations: Causal Analysis of variation in space and time

Citovat

BALVÍN, Ondřej, Martin ŠEVČÍK, Helena JAHELKOVÁ, Tomáš BARTONIČKA, Maria ORLOVA and Jitka VILÍMOVÁ. Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) by bats in western Palaearctic. Vespertilio. Praha, Revúca: ČESON Praha, SON Revúca, 2013, vol. 16, No 1, p. 43-54. ISSN 1213-6123.

@article{1109228,
   author = {Balvín, Ondřej and Ševčík, Martin and Jahelková, Helena and Bartonička, Tomáš and Orlova, Maria and Vilímová, Jitka},
   article_location = {Praha, Revúca},
   article_number = {1},
   keywords = {dispersal ecology ectoparasites bats roosting ecology},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1213-6123},
   journal = {Vespertilio},
   title = {Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) by bats in western Palaearctic},
   volume = {16},
   year = {2013}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1109228
AU  - Balvín, Ondřej - Ševčík, Martin - Jahelková, Helena - Bartonička, Tomáš - Orlova, Maria - Vilímová, Jitka
PY  - 2013
TI  - Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) by bats in western Palaearctic
JF  - Vespertilio
VL  - 16
IS  - 1
SP  - 43-54
EP  - 43-54
PB  - ČESON Praha, SON Revúca
SN  - 12136123
KW  - dispersal ecology ectoparasites bats roosting ecology
N2  - The study of the dispersal mechanisms of organisms is key to understanding their ecology and diversity. The dispersal of parasites is usually mediated by their host. Cimicidae (Heteroptera) is a family of haematophagous ectoparasites for whom bats are the most common and original host. Cimicids spend most of their time in the bat roost, usually only attaching themselves to the body of their host to feed. Distances between bat roosts are too great for the bugs to cross so their transmissions between them are exclusively passive. In our study we present records of bugs found on bats outside roosts. Since adult bugs are more likely to start a new infestation, their high prevalence among these records suggests that the bugs intentionally remain attached to their host in order to disperse, rather than accidentally leaving the roost while feeding. The vast majority of the records come from the genus Nyctalus and some from the genus Pipistrellus, whilst only single findings come from other species. It is possible that this disproportion is caused by the different behaviour of bugs on different bat species. The frequency of transmissions of cimicids by particular bat species correlate with the extent of the migratory behaviour of the bats. However, it is also possible that it is caused by an unequal opportunity to fly out attached to the bat due to the different roosting ecology and behaviour of the bat species.
ER  -

BALVÍN, Ondřej, Martin ŠEVČÍK, Helena JAHELKOVÁ, Tomáš BARTONIČKA, Maria ORLOVA and Jitka VILÍMOVÁ. Transport of bugs of the genus Cimex (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) by bats in western Palaearctic. \textit{Vespertilio}. Praha, Revúca: ČESON Praha, SON Revúca, 2013, vol.~16, No~1, p.~43-54. ISSN~1213-6123.

Detailed Information on Publication Record