ECOLOGY OF ECTOPARASITES FROM TROPICAL BATS

Incidence, prevalence, and density of ectoparasites are reported for 3 species of tropical bats, Stenoderma rufum Demarest, Artibeus jamaice nsis Leach, Monophyllus redmani Leach, from the tabonuco forest of Pue rto Rico. In addition, patterns of ectoparasite associations were exam ined with respect to several host characteristics including age and se x, as well as with respect to season. Levels of ectoparasite infestati on differed because of host age, but not sex, with juveniles harboring higher numbers than adults. No ectoparasite attribute differed with s eason. Significantly different assemblages of parasites occurred on ad ult male, adult female, and juvenile A. jamaicensis. Moreover, S. rufu m, A. jamaicensis, and M. redmani each have a significantly different ectoparasite assemblage.