Parasites represent a large fraction of the world's biodiversity. They control host population sizes and contribute to ecosystem functioning. However, surveys on species diversity rarely include parasitic species. Bats often present traits favoring parasite diversity, such as large home ranges, long life spans, and large colonies. The most conspicuous bat parasites are the highly host‐specific, blood‐sucking bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae). Recent studies have found a direct effect of habitat alteration on the abundance of bat species. We expected, therefore, that changes in the host community in response to anthropogenic habitat modification will also result in changes in the associated parasite community. We captured bats in three different habitats in Central Panama between 2013 and 2015. We recorded information on prevalence and intensity of bat fly parasitization of the seven most commonly captured bat species. Prevalence and intensity were both significantly influenced by roost type, abundance, and host sex and age. We found that habitat variables and matrix type significantly influenced the prevalence and intensity of parasitization, while the direction of the responses was host species‐ and parasite species‐specific. In general, roosting conditions and behavior of host bats appear to be fundamental in explaining changes in prevalence and intensity of parasitization between different habitat types, as bat flies are bound to the roost during their reproductive cycle. Habitat alterations affect next to the host community composition also the availability of possible roost structures as well as microclimatic conditions, which all three reflect in parasitization.

中文翻译：

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在零散的栖息地中，蝙蝠蝇（Streblidae）将蝙蝠寄生

寄生虫占世界生物多样性的很大一部分。它们控制宿主种群的大小并有助于生态系统的功能。但是，有关物种多样性的调查很少包括寄生物种。蝙蝠通常表现出有利于寄生虫多样性的性状，例如较大的家系范围，较长的寿命和较大的菌落。蝙蝠最明显的寄生虫是具有高度宿主特异性，吸血的蝙蝠蝇（双翅目：Streblidae，Nycteribiidae）。最近的研究发现栖息地改变对蝙蝠种类的丰富有直接影响。因此，我们预计，响应于人为栖息地的改变，寄主社区的变化也将导致相关寄生虫社区的变化。我们在2013年至2015年之间在巴拿马中部的三个不同栖息地捕获了蝙蝠。我们记录了有关七个最常见捕获的蝙蝠物种的蝙蝠蝇寄生现象的发生率和强度的信息。栖息地的类型，丰度以及寄主的性别和年龄对患病率和强度都有显着影响。我们发现，生境变量和基质类型显着影响寄生虫的发生率和强度，而响应的方向则取决于宿主物种和寄生虫物种。一般而言，寄主蝙蝠的栖息条件和行为似乎是解释不同生境类型之间寄生虫患病率和寄生虫强度变化的基础，因为蝙蝠蝇在繁殖周期中会与栖息地绑定。栖息地的变化不仅影响寄主社区的组成，还影响可能的栖息地结构以及微气候条件，