Mastoptera

Mastoptera
Image of Mastoptera guimaraesi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Streblidae
Genus:	Mastoptera Wenzel, 1966

Mastoptera is a genus of parasitic bat flies in the family Streblidae, a group of highly specialized ectoparasites that exclusively parasitize bats. Members of this genus have evolved to maintain a close relationship with their bat hosts, feeding on their blood and depending on them for survival.

Biology

Mastoptera are small ectoparasites ranging in size from 0.73 to 1.29 mm (0.029 to 0.051 in). They are smallest species among the Strebilidae. ^[1] Females are typically longer than males. ^[2]

Host and mechanism

This genus exhibits a high degree of host specificity, relying exclusively on bats as their definitive hosts. They attach to the bat's fur or wing membranes to feed on blood. They typically remain on a single host throughout their life cycle, maintaining attachment into adulthood. ^{[3] [ failed verification ]}Mastoptera species are known to parasitize tropical bat species. ^{[4] [ failed verification ]}

Species

The genus Mastoptera currently consists of two confirmed species: ^{[5] [6]}

• Mastoptera guimaraesi Wenzel, 1966
• Mastoptera minuta Wenzel, 1966

References

1. Dick, Carl W.; Miller, Jeremy A. (2010). "Strebilidae (Bat Flies)". In Brown, B.V.; Borkent, A.; Cumming, J.M.; Wood, D.M.; Woodley, N.E.; Zumbado, M.A. (eds.). Manual of Central American Diptera. Vol. 2. NRC Research Press. p. 103.
2. Dick, Carl Willard (2005). Ecology and host specificity of Neotropical bat flies (Diptera:Streblidae) and their Chiropteran hosts (PhD thesis). Texas Tech University.
3. Morand, Serge; Krasnov, Boris R.; Poulin, Robert, eds. (2006). Micromammals and Macroparasites: From Evolutionary Ecology to Management. SpringerLink Bücher. Tokyo: Springer-Verlag Tokyo. ISBN   978-4-431-36024-7.
4. Ascuntar-Osnas, Oscar; Montoya-Bustamante, Sebastián; González-Chávez, Baltazar (2020-01-01). "Records of Streblidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) in a tropical dry forest fragment in Colombia". Biota Colombiana. 21 (1): 16–27. doi: 10.21068/c2020.v21n01a02 . ISSN   2539-200X.
5. "ADW: Mastoptera: CLASSIFICATION". animaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
6. Dick, Carl W. (2013). "Review of the Bat Flies of Honduras, Central America (Diptera: Streblidae)". Journal of Parasitology Research. 2013 (1) 437696. doi: 10.1155/2013/437696 . ISSN   2090-0031. PMC   3619636 . PMID   23634295.