Bat-parasite
Guides
Basilia
bat flies
Basilia is a genus of ectoparasitic bat flies in the family Nycteribiidae. These highly specialized dipterans are obligate parasites of bats, exhibiting extreme morphological adaptations for life on mammalian hosts. The genus includes species such as Basilia silvae and Basilia ortizi, which have been documented from South and Central America. Members of this genus are characterized by reduced or absent wings, dorsoventrally flattened bodies, and claws adapted for clinging to host fur.
Basilia boardmani
southeastern myotis bat fly
Basilia boardmani is a blood-feeding ectoparasitic fly in the family Nycteribiidae. It is commonly known as the southeastern myotis bat fly and is known to parasitize bats. The species was described by Rozeboom in 1934 and can be distinguished from other Basilia species by a distinctive morphological feature in females.
Carios
Carios is a genus of soft ticks in the family Argasidae, comprising eight recognized species. Members of this genus are ectoparasites primarily associated with bats, with a cosmopolitan distribution spanning the Palearctic, Nearctic, and other regions. The genus is distinguished by morphological and ecological adaptations for life in bat roosts. Several species have documented medical significance due to aggressive biting behavior and potential pathogen transmission.
Carios kelleyi
Carios kelleyi is a soft tick (family Argasidae) that parasitizes bats, primarily the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). First described in 1941, this species has been documented across much of North America and has been recorded in at least 29 of the 48 conterminous United States, plus Canada and Cuba. The species has gained attention due to its association with human dwellings when bats roost in attics and structures, and its potential to bite humans when primary bat hosts are removed. Recent studies have identified rickettsial agents in C. kelleyi, including Rickettsia lusitaniae (first U.S. detection), 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae', and a Rickettsia parkeri-like agent, raising public health concerns about its vector potential.
Cimex adjunctus
Eastern Bat Bug
Cimex adjunctus, commonly known as the Eastern Bat Bug, is a temporary ectoparasite of bats found across North America. Unlike the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius), this species is specialized on insectivorous bats rather than humans. It feeds on blood but does not remain on its host between meals, instead hiding in roosting sites. The species has been documented from multiple bat hosts including the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), Rafinesque's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), and the Eastern Small-footed Myotis (Myotis leibii). Research indicates that host association influences genetic variation in salivary protein genes, suggesting host-specific adaptation.
Cimex pilosellus
Western Bat Bug, Bat Bug
Cimex pilosellus, commonly known as the western bat bug, is a blood-feeding ectoparasite in the family Cimicidae. The species is native to North America and primarily parasitizes bats, though it can bite humans when bat hosts are absent. It is morphologically similar to the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) and requires microscopic examination for accurate identification. The species has been documented across western North American regions.
Eutinobothris pilosellus
Eutinobothris pilosellus is a bat-associated cimicid bug formerly classified in the genus Cimex. Fossil remains from the Paisley Five Mile Point Caves in Oregon, dating to 5,100–11,000 years ago, represent the oldest known specimens of the genus Cimex/Eutinobothris. Unlike Cimex lectularius, this species has not been documented as a human parasite. The species remains extant and continues to parasitize bats in western North America.
Hectopsylla
A genus of stick-tight fleas in the family Tungidae, comprising thirteen species that parasitize non-volant mammals, birds, and bats. The genus was established by Von Frauenfeld in 1860, with H. psittaci as the type species. Several species were described by Karl Jordan between 1906 and 1942. The genus exhibits specialized host attachment behaviors, with females of some species becoming permanently embedded in host skin.
Hectopsylla pulex
chigger flea, stick-tight flea
Hectopsylla pulex is a stick-tight flea and the only member of its genus known to parasitize bats. Females attach permanently to the head region of bats, particularly the ears and tragus, where they feed to repletion, become gravid, and die in situ. This species exhibits a unique reproductive strategy involving autosevering of legs upon host 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.
Hesperoctenes
Hesperoctenes is a genus of parasitic bugs in the family Polyctenidae, first described by Kirkaldy in 1906. Members of this genus are ectoparasites of bats (Chiroptera). The genus is distributed in Colombia and likely broader Neotropical regions, though published records are limited. As polyctenids, they represent a specialized lineage of hemipteran parasites adapted to mammalian hosts.
Nycteribiidae
bat flies, nycteribiid bat flies
Nycteribiidae is a family of Diptera in the superfamily Hippoboscoidea, commonly known as bat flies. These are obligate ectoparasites of bats, feeding exclusively on blood. They exhibit extreme morphological adaptations for parasitism: complete wing loss, highly reduced or absent compound eyes, and a dorsoventrally flattened, spider-like body with backward-folded legs. The family contains approximately 274 described species distributed primarily in the Old World tropics, with some species in the Neotropics and Europe. Most species show high host specificity, often with one-to-one associations with particular bat species.
Polyctenidae
Polyctenid Bat Bugs
Polyctenidae is a small family of parasitic true bugs comprising 32 described species in five genera and two subfamilies. These insects are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats, exhibiting high host specificity suggestive of co-evolution. The family is sister to Cimicidae (bed bugs) within the superfamily Cimicoidea. Subfamily Polycteninae occurs in the Eastern Hemisphere (Africa, Asia, Australia), while Hesperocteninae is restricted to the Western Hemisphere (North and South America).
Spinturnicidae
bat wing mites
Spinturnicidae is a family of hematophagous mites in the order Mesostigmata. All species are obligate ectoparasites of bats, living their entire life cycle on the host. They infest wing membranes, tail membranes, and occasionally eyelids and eye canthi. The family has a worldwide distribution in bat habitats and comprises 11 genera.
Streblidae
streblid bat flies, bat flies
Streblidae are a family of highly specialized dipteran flies in the superfamily Hippoboscoidea, comprising approximately 237 species in 33 genera. They are obligate ectoparasites of bats, exhibiting extreme morphological adaptations including variable wing reduction (from fully winged to completely wingless), eye degeneration, and dorsoventrally flattened bodies. The family shows pronounced host specificity, with individual fly species typically restricted to particular bat host species. Streblidae are classified as pupiparous flies, meaning females retain and nourish larvae internally until they are deposited as fully developed prepupae.