Climatic effects on the distribution of ant- and bat fly-associated fungal ectoparasites (Ascomycota,Laboulbeniales) |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland;2. Museum of Zoology, Lausanne, Switzerland;3. Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA;4. Farlow Reference Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA;5. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic;6. Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary;7. Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary;8. Department of Tisza Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Ecological Research, Danube Research Institute, Debrecen, Hungary;9. Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary |
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| Abstract: | Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota: Laboulbeniomycetes) are obligate ectoparasitic fungi of arthropods with a worldwide distribution. Their effects on host physiology and behaviour as well as their ecology have recently gained wider attention. One aspect that is virtually unknown regarding Laboulbeniales and arthropod-associated fungi in general, is how abiotic factors shape the distribution of these parasites. We used ant- and bat fly-associated Laboulbeniales to study whether climatic elements play a role in the distribution of fungal species. We collected uninfected and Laboulbeniales-infected insects belonging to three species: bat flies Nycteribia schmidlii and Penicillidia conspicua (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) and the ant Myrmica scabrinodis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). We used climatic variables and performed statistical analyses to explain the distribution of Laboulbeniales infection. Our results show a higher likelihood of Laboulbeniales presence in habitats with low annual mean temperature and humidity, suggesting that climatic elements can considerably shape the distribution of Laboulbeniales species. |
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| Keywords: | Ants Bat flies Climatic variables Distribution patterns Hyperparasite Nycteribiidae Prevalence |
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