Analysis of COI gene, prevalence, and intensity of the bat fly Cyclopodia greeffi on roosting straw-coloured fruit bat Eidolon helvum in Southwest Nigeria.

ABSTRACT: We investigated ectoparasite diversity, interspecific infestation rates and host preference in roosting fruit bats, Eidolon helvum, from Bowen University, Southwest Nigeria. Fur of captured E. helvum were sampled monthly for ectoparasites from January 2021 to June 2022. We examined a total of 231 E. helvum and observed a significant female to male adult sex ratio (0.22:1); with 53.9% ectoparasitic infestation rate. We identified and enumerated the ectoparasite; and subjected its Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to phylogenetic analysis with other nycteribiids. COI gene sequences obtained formed a distinct clade with other C. greeffi sequences. We recovered a total of 319 (149 female and 170 male) ectoparasites and observed a balanced C. greeff

SUBMITTER: Atobatele OE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10300209 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature