A Preliminary Study on Amphibian-Feeding Behavior of Hematophagous Diptera (Psychodidae, Culicidae, and Corethrellidae) in Taiwan Based on Citizen Science Data

Abstract. In recent years, concerns about pathogen transmission among amphibians by hematophagous insects have been increasing. However, records of dipteran hematophagy on amphibians remain scarce in Taiwan, leaving a significant knowledge gap in understanding this host–parasite interaction. In this study, we conducted a citizen science project to collect photographic records of Diptera feeding on amphibian blood and analyzed their associated families and seasonal peaks of hematophagous activity. Members of three dipteran families (Psychodidae, Culicidae, and Corethrellidae) were observed feeding on amphibians representing four anuran families (Bufonidae, Dicroglossidae, Ranidae and Rhacophoridae). Notably, this study provides the first record of sand flies (Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) feeding on amphibians in Asia, as well as the first direct observational evidence of this worldwide. Based on these occurrence data, we further constructed species distribution models (SDMs) for each of these amphibian-feeding dipteran families, providing a preliminary insight into the diversity and spatial patterns of this ecological interaction.