The introduction of
Pseudogymnoascus destructans (
Pd) to North America, agent of white-nose syndrome in hibernating bats, has increased interest in fungi from underground habitats. While bats are assumed to be the main vector transmitting
Pd cave-to-cave, the role of other fauna
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The introduction of
Pseudogymnoascus destructans (
Pd) to North America, agent of white-nose syndrome in hibernating bats, has increased interest in fungi from underground habitats. While bats are assumed to be the main vector transmitting
Pd cave-to-cave, the role of other fauna is unexplored. We documented the fungi associated with over-wintering arthropods in
Pd-positive hibernacula, including sites where bats had been recently extirpated or near-extirpated, to determine if arthropods carried
Pd, and to compare fungal assemblages on arthropods to bats. We isolated 87 fungal taxa in 64 genera from arthropods. Viable
Pd was cultured from 15.3% of arthropods, most frequently from harvestmen (
Nelima elegans). Fungal assemblages on arthropods were similar to those on bats. The different fungal assemblages documented among arthropods may be due to divergent patterns of movement, aggregation, feeding, or other factors. While it is unlikely that arthropods play a major role in the transmission dynamics of
Pd, we demonstrate that arthropods may carry viable
Pd spores and therefore have the potential to transport
Pd, either naturally or anthropogenically, within or among hibernacula. This underlines the need for those entering hibernacula to observe decontamination procedures and for such procedures to evolve as our understanding of potential mechanisms of
Pd dispersal improve.
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