Medical and Veterinary Entomology· 2026Q1
Not extinct but thriving—The rediscovery of the horseshoe bat fly Phthiridium biarticulatum (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) in the United Kingdom
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
The horseshoe bat fly, Phthiridium biarticulatum, previously thought extinct in the UK since 1959, has been rediscovered and found to be thriving, infesting 17.1% of adult Lesser Horseshoe Bats surveyed across 14 sites in South West England.
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Key points
- Phthiridium biarticulatum, a UK bat fly species last recorded in 1959, has been rediscovered.
- The fly was found on Lesser Horseshoe Bats at 14 out of 28 surveyed sites in South West England.
- An infestation rate of 17.1% was recorded among adult Lesser Horseshoe Bats.
- Species distribution modeling suggests the fly's range may be extensive across South West England and Wales.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Bat flies are haematophagous ectoparasites of bats, which have been infrequently studied in the United Kingdom. Phthiridium biarticulatum Hermann (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) is one of three species of bat fly that have been recorded in the United Kingdom. It was last recorded in 1959 and is considered extinct. We report the presence of P. biarticulatum on Lesser Horseshoe Bats Rhinolophus hipposideros (Bechstein) (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) at 14 sites across South West England, with a host infestation rate of 17.1% (58/339) of adult bats across 28 surveyed sites with maternity colonies in buildings. Using a species distribution model, we predict range suitability for P. biarticulatum across South West England and Wales. Our findings indicate that P. biarticulatum is not only present in the United Kingdom but may be common across the Lesser Horseshoe Bat's range, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring of the Nycteribiidae, a neglected group of parasites, given their potential to vector pathogens.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and SystematicsAgricultural and Biological Sciences