Hectopsylla pulex

(Haller, 1880)

chigger flea, stick-tight flea

Hectopsylla pulex is a stick-tight and the only member of its known to parasitize bats. Females attach permanently to the region of bats, particularly the ears and tragus, where they feed to repletion, become , and die in situ. This exhibits a unique reproductive strategy involving autosevering of legs upon attachment and abdominal expansion through mechanical design rather than true neosomy. Males have never been found attached to hosts and are collected exclusively from bat guano, suggesting pre-host copulation occurs. The species is widely distributed across the Neotropics with records from Brazil, Panama, Colombia, Texas, and Arizona.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hectopsylla pulex: /hɛkˈtɒpsɪlə ˈpjuːlɛks/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The only in Hectopsylla that parasitizes bats; distinguished from by association. Females in state show dramatic abdominal expansion (from 620 µm to 2400 µm) due to expansible and shingled tergites. Autosevering of legs at or upon attachment to host is diagnostic. Males collected only from guano, never attached to hosts.

Habitat

Bat guano near colonies and roosting structures; urban and peri-urban environments where bats inhabit human shelters such as houses and barns. Males specifically associated with bat guano of molossid bats.

Distribution

Neotropical distribution including Brazil (multiple states: BA, MG, PE, PR, RJ, RS, SC, SP), Panama, Colombia (Central Andes, with highest elevational records), Texas (Medina and Uvalde Counties), and Arizona (Cochise County, representing northern and western range limit).

Diet

Blood-feeding on bats; females feed to repletion on blood.

Host Associations

Leptonycteris yerbabuenae - Phyllostomidae; first record for this
Tadarida brasiliensis - Molossidae; of for northern records
Molossus rufus - Molossidae
Molossus molossus - Molossidae; Pallas's mastiff bat, common in South America
Eptesicus fuscus - Vespertilionidae
Eptesicus furinalis - Vespertilionidae; first record on this
Various bat species - Records across 13 in three : Molossidae, Vespertilionidae, Noctilionidae

Life Cycle

: , , , . Eggs expelled onto surface fall to substrate; only eggs deposited in guano near host colonies successfully complete development. Newly emerged acquire hosts in proximity to guano .

Behavior

Females exhibit permanent attachment , autosevering legs upon initial contact to secure position. Attachment specifically targeted to region, ears, and tragus of bats. Females remain attached until death after . Males do not attach to hosts, suggesting mating occurs prior to female host acquisition. Low of observed on individual hosts.

Ecological Role

of bats; falling into guano may contribute to in roost environments. Potential interference with bat echolocation due to attachment near tragus, though this remains hypothesized rather than demonstrated.

Similar Taxa

Other Hectopsylla species parasitize rodents and marsupials rather than bats; H. pulex is the only bat-associated in the
Tunga spp. (chigoe fleas)Similar stick-tight and permanent attachment , but Tunga parasitize mammals including humans and have different associations and geographic distributions