Review of studies about bat-fly interactions inside roosts, with observations on partnership patterns for publications

Pressures from anthropogenic disturbances have triggered a wealth of studies focusing on the assessment and mitigation of the negative impacts of these disturbances on inter and intraspecific ecological interactions, including bats and bat flies in their roosts. The heterogeneity of research methods employed for these studies and the scientific imbalance between countries may constrain advances and the consolidation of the knowledge on this subject. We reviewed the literature regarding bat and bat-ectoparasite interactions in roosts assessing global research trends and patterns of author collaborative work to be able to identify key questions for future studies and potential initiatives to improve the knowledge on this subject. Current information available has mostly come from the Americas and is predominantly focused on the recognition and description of parasite-host interactions between bats and bat flies. Our findings suggest the value of increasing collaboration for future research, as several countries with largely diverse environments and high organismal richness are disconnected from the countries that produce the most publications in this area, and/or have low records of publications. These regions are in the Global South, mostly in South American and African countries. We suggest that more collaborative networks may increase scientific production in the area, and that investing in local research development and enhancing partnerships for publications may strengthen the field. These research programs and collaborations are key for the development of conservation strategies for bats and bat flies, for their roosts, and for understanding bat and bat-ectoparasite interactions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00436-022-07635-z.