Distribution and noteworthy records of parasitic bugs genus Hesperoctenes (Hemiptera: Polyctenidae) associated with bats (Chiroptera) in Colombia

The family Polyctenidae (Cimicoidea: Hemiptera) is a group of ectoparasites that has received very little attention from researchers. These bugs are typically associated with bats and are found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Polyctenidae consist of 32 species, which are divided into two subfamilies (Polycteninae and Hesperocteninae) and five genera (Adroctenes, Eoctenes, Hypoctenes, and Polyctenes within Polycteninae and Hesperoctenes within Hesperocteninae). The genus Hesperoctenes comprises 16 species restricted to the Western Hemisphere (South and North America), whereas the other four genera are exclusive to the Old World (Africa, Asia, and Australia), that likely is the diversification center of this group. Besides the wide distribution in the Neotropics there are limited records for all the taxa described, except for Hesperoctenes fumarius and Hesperoctenes cartus. Furthermore, the association with the hosts and the distribution patterns are still unclear. In high diverse countries such as Colombia where more than 217 bat species have been reported, there are only few records of Polyctenids. To contribute to the knowledge of Neotropical Polyctenids, we reviewed the records of Hesperoctenes and the association with mammal hosts in America, and present noteworthy records of Hesperoctenes hermsi, H. fumarius and new associations with bats in Colombia. We identified individuals of both species by morphological comparisons and PCR amplification of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). Due to the few records at the molecular level, the sequence of H. hermsi is the first reported for this species. Our study reports for the first time the presence of H. hermsi in Colombia, since it has only been reported in Brazil, USA, and Venezuela. We also report new associations with the bats Cynomops planirostris and Molossus pretiosus, since it has only been associated with other Molossids such as Molossus molossus, Eumops glacinus, Nyctinomops laticaudatus, and Nyctinomops macrotis.