Hemoparasite load in bats with varying roost size in San Luis, Costa Rica, May 2007

Alternative Title

Carga de hemoparásitos en murciélagos con diferentes tamaños de percha en San Luis, Costa Rica

Creator

Robin Miller

Files

Publication Date

May 2007

Abstract

Bats, as well as most other mammals, are host to many endoparasites that can damage or even cause death in their host (Baron 1996). I surveyed blood parasites from 28 bats in San Luis, Costa Rica. This study focused on six different species of bats with varying roosting behaviors to determine the amount and type of blood parasites differs between bat species. I identified four different types of blood parasites as well as a gram-negative bacterium. Using a proportion between the total number of parasites and the number of individuals caught per species, I found Myotis keaysi, which roosts in groups of over 500 individuals, to have more total average parasites (x2 = 28.47, p = 0.00424, df = 4, p < 0.0001). I also found significance difference between each individual species of parasite and the different species of bats (x2 = 42.70091393, p = 7.88447E-70, df = 8, p < 0.0001). Although data indicates that bats roosting in extremely large groups have more average blood parasites, more data is needed, in terms of sample size, in order to make further conclusions.

Resumen

Los murciélagos, así como la mayoria de los otros mamíferos, son hospederos de muchos endoparásitos que pueden dañar o aún causar la muerte en su hospedero (Baron 1996). Examiné los parásitos de sangre de 28 murciélagos en San Luis, Costa Rica. Este estudio se centro en seis especies de murciélagos con diferentes comportamientos de percha para determinar la cantidad y el tipo de parásitos de sangre entre las especies de murciélagos.

Keywords

Bats--Parasites, Bats--Behavior, CIEE Spring 2007

Palabras claves

Murciélagos--Parásitos, Murciélagos--Comportamiento, CIEE Primavera 2007

Extent

9 pages

Geographic Location

San Luis (Puntarenas, Costa Rica)

Holding Location

Monteverde Institute

Language

English; Spanish

Media Type

Articles

Format

Digital Only

Identifier

M39-00381

Type

Book

Recommended Citation

Miller, Robin, "Hemoparasite load in bats with varying roost size in San Luis, Costa Rica, May 2007" (2007). Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation. 290.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/290