DOI: 10.5061/dryad.h9w0vt4v3
title: Ectoparasite diversity and infection burden on two sympatric bat species, Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

description: Parasites are an abundant and diverse group of organisms that are often
 excluded from biodiversity surveys, limiting our understanding of
 host-parasite relationships and parasite diversity. Parasites are
 dependent on their hosts for survival and parasite populations are at risk
 if their host populations decline. The aim of our study was to quantify
 and compare the ectoparasite communities of two sympatric Atlantic
 Canadian bat species, Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis.
 Ectoparasites were collected from bats captured for research throughout
 Atlantic Canada between 1999 and 2017 during the active season (May to
 October). Ectoparasites were identified based on morphological
 characteristics. The prevalence and mean intensity of infection was
 calculated for each ectoparasite species per collection region and based
 on host age class and sex. Generalized linear mixed models were used to
 assess host differences in infection by the two most abundant
 ectoparasites. Both bat species hosted ectoparasite communities dominated
 by the mite Spinturnix americanus and the flea Myodopsylla insignis with
 other ectoparasites being rarely encountered. Despite being the most
 common ectoparasites of both bat species, our results suggest that
 infections of these ectoparasites vary between them with M. insignis
 prevalence being greater on M. lucifugus and S. americanus prevalence
 being greater on M. septentrionalis. We suggest these differences in
 infection burden are related to the social and roosting behaviours of
 these hosts and the life history of the ectoparasites. Monitoring
 parasites concurrently with focal species is important for capturing this
 aspect of biodiversity and for understanding how host-parasite dynamics
 may be disrupted if hosts undergo drastic demographic changes.
description: # Ectoparasite diversity and infection burden on two sympatric bat
 species, Myotis lucifugus and M. septentrionalis (Chiroptera:
 Vespertilionidae) Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.h9w0vt4v3](10.5061/dryad.h9w0vt4v3) ## Description of the
 data and file structure Ectoparasites were collection from Myotis
 lucifugus and Myotis septentrionalis bats in Atlantic Canada between 1999
 and 2017 as part of bat biology research projects. Ectoparasites were
 identified using morphological characteristics.  ### Files and variables
 #### File: Parasite\_collection\_metadata.csv **Description:**  #####
 Variables * bat: identification number for the individual bat from which
 the ectoparasites were collected from * ectoparasite: identification
 number for the individual ectoparasite * identified.by: name of individual
 who identified the ectoparasite * ecto.order: order level identification
 for the ectoparasite * ecto.species: species level identification for the
 ectoparasite (NA if no species level identification possible) * region:
 region within Atlantic Canada from where the ectoparasite was collected *
 site: collection site name from where the ectoparasite was collected *
 lat: latitude of collection site * long: longitude of collection site *
 collection.date: date of collection * site.type: site type, either summer
 or swarming * host.species: species of bat host, lucifugus = Myotis
 lucifugus septentrionalis = Myotis septentrionalis * host.sex: sex of the
 host individual (male or female) * host.ageclass: ageclass of the host
 individual (juvenile (juv) or adult) #### File:
 ectoparasite\_infection\_model\_data.csv **Description:**  ##### Variables
 * individual:  identification number for the individual bat from which the
 ectoparasites were collected from * MI_abund: number of Myodopsylla
 insignis fleas collected from the bat * MI_prev: presence of Myodopsylla
 insignis fleas on host (0 = no fleas, 1 = fleas present) * SA_abund:
 number of Spinturnix americanus mites collected from the bat *
 SA_prev: presence of Spinturnix americanus mites on host (0 = no mites, 1
 = mites present) * host.species: species of bat host, lucifugus = Myotis
 lucifugus septentrionalis = Myotis septentrionalis * host.sex: sex of the
 host individual (male or female) * host.ageclass: ageclass of the host
 individual (juvenile (juv) or adult) * region: region within Atlantic
 Canada from where the ectoparasite was collected * site: collection site
 name from where the ectoparasite was collected * lat: latitude of
 collection site * long: longitude of collection site * site.type: site
 type, either summer or swarming * year: year ectoparasites were collected
 from the host ## Code/software Files are submitted as .csv files and can
 be opened using MS Excel or other text editing software.