Identification of Blood-sucking Flies of Bats in Lombok Island, Indonesia

Bats and blood-sucking bat flies have an important role in transmitting several hemoparasites. Bat flies have been identified as vectors transmitting hemoparasites from wild bats. The purpose of the present study was to identify bats and their blood-sucking flies as vectors of hemoparasites in bat caves located at Lombok Island, Indonesia. In the course of the study, a survey was conducted on three bat caves from September to December 2018. The bats were captured by a net trap and the species of bats and bat flies were identified. A total of 66 captured bats were identified as Hipposideros species (n = 28), Eonycteris spelaea (n = 23), and Taphozouss species (n = 15). The blood-sucking flies were identified as Eucampsipoda sundaica on Eonycteris spelaea, and Stylidia cf. euxesta, Brachytarsina species, Raymondia species, and Megastrebla nigriceps on Hipposideros species. The results showed that five species of blood-sucking flies were present in captured bats. The bat and blood-sucking flies can influence the transmission of Polychromophilus species, Babesia species, Plasmodium species, and Trypanosoma species to humans and other hosts.