Trichobius

Distinguished from related streblid genera by combinations of thoracic chaetotaxy, wing venation, and male genitalia. The 'dugesii' species group shares certain thoracic characteristics but can be differentiated by specific setal arrangements on the prescutum and discal regions. Identification to species level requires examination of microscopic characters including setal length and density patterns, metasternal lobe structure, and genitalic morphology.

Strictly associated with bat roosts including caves, hollow trees, buildings, and houses. Larviposition sites include roost walls and substrates where pupal development occurs. Some species occupy specific microhabitats within roosts.

Widespread in the Neotropics with records from Mexico, Honduras, Brazil, Chile, and Venezuela. Specific documented localities include Jalisco (Mexico), Francisco Morazán and La Mosquitia (Honduras), Rio de Janeiro state (Brazil), and Araucanía region (Chile).

• Phyllostomus hastatus - primary hostT. longipes shows >99% prevalence on this host in Rio de Janeiro
• Carollia perspicillata - hostparasitized by T. joblingi
• Sturnira lillium - hostparasitized by T. joblingi
• Myotis velifer - hosthost of T. major
• Desmodus rotundus - hostnew host record for T. parasiticus in Chile
• Choeronycteris mexicana - hosthost of undescribed Trichobius species from Jalisco

Viviparous with internal larval development. Females retain eggs and developing larvae in the abdomen, then deposit mature larvae (larviposition) on roost substrates while hosts are foraging. Pupae develop on roost walls; adult emergence occurs after 22-24 days under laboratory conditions for related streblids.

Exhibits host-finding behavior using specific sensory stimuli to locate bat hosts. Larviposition timing is synchronized with host foraging periods. Some species display sex-biased parasitism, with female hosts more heavily infested than males. Flight behavior is adapted for movement on and between bat hosts rather than sustained independent flight.

Obligate ectoparasite of bats; contributes to bat-parasite community diversity. Co-occurs with other streblid species on shared hosts, forming component parasite communities.

• AspidopteraBoth are streblid genera parasitizing phyllostomid bats; Aspidoptera differs in wing shape and male terminalia structure
• StreblaCo-occurring streblid genus with similar ecology; differs in thoracic and abdominal chaetotaxy patterns
• NeotrichobiusRelated streblid genus; previously known only from Venezuela until northernmost record in Honduras
• ParatrichobiusMorphologically similar streblid genus; distinguished by specific thoracic and genitalic characters

• bat flies
• ectoparasites
• Streblidae
• Neotropics
• host specificity
• viviparity
• larviposition
• bat roosts
• Phyllostomidae
• Vespertilionidae
• Desmodontinae

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Guest blog post: New ectoparasite records from Honduras came from bats recorded since 2015 | Blog
• Trichobius longipes (Diptera, Streblidae) as a parasite of Phyllostomus hastatus(Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae)
• Wing Morphology and Flight Behavior of the Bat Fly Trichobius major (Diptera: Streblidae)
• Stimuli Used by Trichobius major (Diptera:Streblidae) to Locate Its Bat Host, Myotis velifer
• Observations on the Winter Ecology of the Bat Fly Trichobius Corynorhini Cockerell (Diptera: Streblidae)
• A new species of Trichobius (Diptera: Streblidae) from Mexico and new record of Paratrichobius americanus
• Do fly parasites of bats and their hosts coevolve?speciation in Trichobius phyllostomae group (Diptera, Streblidae) and their hosts (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) suggests that they do not
• Trichobius joblingi, Aspidoptera falcata, and Megistopoda proxima (Diptera: Streblidae) Parasitic on Carollia perspicillata and Sturnira lillium (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Southeastern Brazil: Sex Ratios, Seasonality, Host Site Preference, and Effect of Parasitism on the Host
• Pupal Deposition and Ecology of Bat Flies (Diptera: Streblidae): Trichobius sp. (Caecus Group) in a Mexican Cave Habitat
• Morphological and molecular data on the bat flies, Basilia silvae (Brèthes, 1913) and Trichobius parasiticus Gervais, 1844 parasitizing Chilean bats
• Trichobius joblingi, Aspidoptera falcata,andMegistopoda proxima(Diptera: Streblidae) Parasitic onCarollia perspicillataandSturnira lillium(Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Southeastern Brazil: Sex Ratios, Seasonality, Host Site Preference, and Effect of Parasitism on the Host