Abstract
Defining the whole spectrum of potential hosts of a parasite has large epidemiological and evolutionary implications in biology. Specialized parasites might be able to occasionally exploit a range of different host species, increasing the individual survival and the chances of successful dispersal. For long time Paraceras melis has been considered a specific flea of European badger Meles meles. Anyway, it has occasionally been reported on different hosts. In this work, we summarize the host spectrum of P. melis from literature and we report its first detection on a bat host. Ten species were identified as occasional hosts, man included, and the plasticity of this flea in host exploitation is noteworthy because of possible increase of pathogens transmission to humans and domestic species.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Lucia Montomoli (Gruppo Speleologico Archeologico Livornese) for the description of the cave “Buca del Gallo,” Delphine Nourisson (University of Florence), and Saulo Bambi (University of Florence) for the photos. We also acknowledge David W. Macdonald (University of Oxford) and Chris Newman (University of Oxford) who validated the identification of P. melis. Claudia Romeo (University of Milan) helped us with the sexual identification of fleas. Nicola Bodino (University of Turin) and Fabio Mazzetto (University of Turin) kindly helped us in collecting data for the assessment of the potential hosts of P. melis.
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Ancillotto, L., Mazza, G., Menchetti, M. et al. Host specificity of the badger’s flea (Paraceras melis) and first detection on a bat host. Parasitol Res 113, 3909–3912 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4136-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4136-x