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Causal mechanisms underlying host specificity in bat ectoparasites.

Maud S Giorgi1, Raphaël Arlettaz, Frédéric Guillaume

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biology Building, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. Maud.Giorgi@ie-zea.unil.ch

Oecologia
|January 10, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Host specificity in parasites can arise from dispersal limits or coevolutionary adaptations. This study used mite-bat systems to show that mechanisms vary even in related species, impacting host-parasite interactions.

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Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Host specificity in parasites is a key factor in host-parasite interactions and coevolution.
  • This specificity can stem from limited parasite dispersal or established coevolutionary adaptations between hosts and parasites.
  • Understanding the underlying mechanisms is crucial for predicting coevolutionary trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relative importance of dispersal limitation versus coevolutionary adaptations in driving host specificity.
  • To explore the proximate mechanisms of host specificity in closely related parasite-host systems.
  • To compare the host specificity of two parasitic mite species infecting bats.

Main Methods:

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  • Conducted infection and cross-infection experiments using two parasitic mite species (Spinturnix myoti and S. andegavinus) and their native bat hosts (Myotis myotis and M. daubentoni, respectively).
  • Mites were exposed to their native host species and a closely related substitute host species within the same genus (Myotis).
  • Assessed mite preference and fitness on native versus substitute hosts.

    • Main Results:

    • Spinturnix myoti demonstrated a clear preference for its native host, Myotis myotis, and exhibited higher fitness on it.
    • Spinturnix andegavinus showed no significant host choice between native (M. daubentoni) and substitute hosts, despite higher fitness on its native host.
    • The study revealed differential responses between the two parasite species, indicating varied mechanisms of host specificity.

    Conclusions:

    • The causal mechanisms underlying host specificity can differ even within closely related parasite-host systems.
    • Both dispersal capacity and coevolutionary adaptations likely play roles, with their relative importance varying between species.
    • Findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of host-parasite coevolution and specificity.