Maabella stomalata Hastriter & Bush, 2006

Hastriter, Michael W. & Bush, Sarah E., 2013, Description of Lentistivalius philippinensis, a new species of flea (Siphonaptera, Pygiosyllomorpha, Stivaliidae), and new records of Ascodipterinae (Streblidae) on bats and other small mammals from Luzon, The Philippines, ZooKeys 260, pp. 17-30 : 18

Maabella stomalata Hastriter & Bush, 2006

Material examined.

Philippines, Luzon Island, Cagayan Province: Mt. Cagua 2, Magrafil Barangay (18.236°N, 122.104°E), elev. 680m, Rhinolophus inops K. Anderson (JAC093), 20 VII 2011, S. Villa and S. Knutie, (1 dealate ♀ w/o caudal disc, P4631); same data except Rhinolophus inops (JAC094) (1dealate ♀ with caudal disc, P4632); same data except Rhinolophus inops (JAC096) (1 dealate ♀ w/o caudal disc and 1 dealate ♀ with caudal disc, P4640); and same data except Rhinolophus inops (JAC097) (1dealate ♀ with caudal disc, 2 dealate ♀♀ w/o caudal discs, P4636).

Remarks.

Maabella is a widespread monotypic genus. Hastriter and Bush (2006) described Maabella stomalata from China and Vietnam with records from Rhinolophus affinis Horsfield, Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth, and Rhinolophus paradoxalophus (Bourret). Subsequently Hastriter (2007) documented a Maabella stomalata in Borneo, Java, Moluccas, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippine Islands, and West Papua and cited the additional bat host species of Rhinolophus acuminatus Peters, Rhinolophus euryotis Temminck, Rhinolophus megaphyllus Gray, Rhinolophus rufus Eydoux and Gervais, Hipposideros calcuratus (Dobson), Hipposideros cervinus (Gould), and Rousettus amplexicaudatus (E. Geoffroy). Although our study does not expand the distribution of Maabella , Rhinolophus inops represents a new host record. Members of the bat family Rhinolophidae are the preferred hosts of Maabella stomalata . Its occurrence on Rousettus amplexicaudatus is probably an accidental association. The site of penetration of neosomes has commonly been found on the leading edge of the wing and over the joints of the front part of the wings (Hastriter, 2007). Our specimens were also found over wing bones and joints (Figs 2-3) with occasional specimens in the skin or “patagia” of the wings unassociated with bones. Locations over the bones/joints of the wing might be an adaptation of Maabella to prevent suffocation by the host’s skin from blocking the spiracles that protrude through the host’s thin skin via the caudal disc. The underlying wing bones are also more open to surface air when wings are folded during rest/sleep. Note in Figs 2 and 3 that the neosomes within the cysts lay horizontal to the surface. Ascodipteron species that occupy body tissues penetrate deeper and arrange themselves (in situ) perpendicular to the skin surface (not horizontal).