''Antricola inexpectata'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of soft shell

tick Ticks (order Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids that are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, species, and "fullness". Ticks are external parasites, living by ...

s in the family

Argasidae The Argasidae are the family of soft ticks, one of the three families of ticks. The family contains 193 species, although the composition of the genera is less certain, and more study is needed before the genera can become stable. The currently a ...

. Like ''

Nothoaspis ''Nothoapis'' is a genus in the soft-bodied tick family, Argasidae The Argasidae are the family of soft ticks, one of the three families of ticks. The family contains 193 species, although the composition of the genera is less certain, and m ...

'', another genus in the same family,

Antricola ''Antricola'' is a genus of tick Ticks (order Ixodida) are parasitic arachnids that are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, species, and "fullness". Tick ...

species infest cave-dwelling

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

s. ''A. inexpectata'' parasites

insectivorous A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores were ...

cave-dwelling bats of the

Pteronotus ''Pteronotus'' is a genus of bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bat ...

genus, and are only parasitic in

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

form, and are non-parasitic as adults. ''A. inexpectata'' is closely related to Antricola delacruzi and

Antricola guglielmonei ''Antricola guglielmonei'' is a species of soft shell tick in the family Argasidae. Like ''Nothoaspis'', another genus in the same family, Antricola species infest cave-dwelling bats. ''A. guglielmonei'' is similar to Antricola delacruzi of th ...

. In both adult and larva form the primary food source appears to be bat

guano Guano (Spanish from qu, wanu) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. G ...

, although the exact component of the guano that is consumed remains unclear. They are all indigenous to the Brazilian rain forest.Labruna MB, Nava S, Terassini FA, Onofrio VC, Barros-Battesti DM, Camargo LM, Venzal JM J Parasitol. 2011 Apr; 97(2):207-17.

References

Ticks Parasites of bats Endemic fauna of Brazil Argasidae Animals described in 2004 {{acari-stub