Laboulbeniales hyperparasites (Fungi, Ascomycota) of bat flies: Independent origins and host associations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the diversity of ectoparasitic fungi (Ascomycota,Laboulbeniales) that use bat flies (Diptera, Hippoboscoidea) as hosts. Bat flies themselves live as ectoparasites on the fur and wing membranes of bats (Mammalia,Chiroptera); hence this is a tripartite parasite system. Here, we collected bats, batflies, and Laboulbeniales, and conducted phylogenetic analyses of Laboulbeniales tocontrast morphology with ribosomal sequence data. Parasitism of bat flies byLaboulbeniales arose at least three times independently, once in the EasternHemisphere (Arthrorhynchus) and twice in the Western Hemisphere (Gloeandromyces,Nycteromyces). We hypothesize that the genera Arthrorhynchus and Nycteromycesevolved independently from lineages of ectoparasites of true bugs (Hemiptera). Weassessed phylogenetic diversity of the genus Gloeandromyces by considering the LSUrDNA region. Phenotypic plasticity and position-induced morphological adaptationsgo hand in hand. Different morphotypes belong to the same phylogenetic species.Two species, G. pageanus and G. streblae, show divergence by host utilization. In ourassessment of coevolution, we only observe congruence between the Old Worldclades of bat flies and Laboulbeniales. The other associations are the result of theroosting ecology of the bat hosts. This study has considerably increased our knowledge about bats and their associated ectoparasites and shown the necessity of including molecular data in Laboulbeniales taxonomy.