Ascodipteron sanmingensis sp. nov., a new bat fly (Hippoboscidae: streblid grade) from Fujian, China

Abstract

The bat fly genus Ascodipteron Adensamer, 1896 currently contains 15 species, all of which occur in tropical and subtropical areas of the Eastern Hemisphere. A new species of endoparasitic bat fly, Ascodipteron sanmingensis sp. nov., was collected from the Great Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bat, Hipposideros armiger (Hodgson, 1853), during ecological studies on bats in Fujian, China.A new species, Ascodipteron sanmingensis sp. nov., is described based on dealate neosomic females and is supported by molecular data from a 368 bp fragment of the cytochrome B (Cytb) gene. Habitus and diagnostic details as well as the attachment sites on the host are documented with photographs. A detailed comparison of the new species with related species is provided and the new species is accommodated in the most recent key to the world species of Ascodipteron.