A retrospective study of ectoparasites on Indian pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus coromandra)

Abstract

Pipistrellus coromandra (Gray) is a species of bat belonging to family Vespertilionidae. It is also named as Indian pipistrelle because of its ubiquitous presence throughout India and for its jerky, erratic flight. In the present study 82 Indian pipistrelle including 28 males and 54 females were examined for the presence of ectoparasites over a period of three years between July 2014 and June 2017. Bats were found infested with one fly of Basilia spp. (6.09%), two mites of Chiroptonyssus spp. (30.48%) and Spinturnix spp. (23.17%) along with a soft tick of Argas spp. (13.41%). About 60 (73.17%) animals under the study were found infested with any one or multiple ectoparasites. No internal parasite however, was found in the faecal examination. Monitoring the ectoparasites of Indian pipistrelle bat is important because the animals is notoriously known to resides in close proximity with human shelters during day time and entering into houses in search of insects at dusk, possibly acting as a source of infections to humans and other companion animals. However, literature is lacking information regarding types of parasitic infections of this common bat. As per the available literature, this is the first documentation of parasitic infestation of Pipistrellus coromandra.