ABSTRACT

The extraordinary characteristics of vampire bats are also reflected in the diverse and interesting parasitic fauna. These parasites are represented by unusual arthropods and other invertebrates that exploit various ecological niches offered by these bats. The fact that vampires have a gregarious existence, sharing their habitation with other bat species, explains why some of their nonpermanent parasites utilize a wide range of hosts. The mite family Ereynetidae, Suborder Prostigmata, contains species found in the nasal cavities of some neotropical bats; nevertheless, they do not infest vampire bats. Vampire bats might be temporary hosts of Cimex hemipterus, C. pilloselus, Latrocimex spectans, or other species that attack some neotropical Chiroptera. The most important trypanosome in vampire bats is Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease in Central and South America. Marinkelle, Funayama et al., and others, have reported T. cruzi in D. rotundus. All the helminths that have been reported from vampire bats belong to the Class Nematoda.