Bat Skin Secrets: What Fungi Tell Us About Their Health Down Under
"Aussie researchers discover the diverse fungal life on bent-winged bats, revealing clues to their resilience and potential vulnerability."
Fungi are more than just forest floor organisms; they play a vital role in the health of animals, sometimes beneficial, and sometimes disastrous. White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has devastated bat populations in North America. This has prompted concerns about Australian bats.
In Australia, the southern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) is critically endangered. Researchers sought to determine if fungal diseases might be contributing to their decline, focusing on P. destructans, dermatophytes (skin fungi), and Histoplasma capsulatum (a fungus potentially harmful to humans). They compared these findings to the more common eastern bent-winged bat (M. orianae oceanensis) to understand the fungal diversity in different bat populations.
This research dives into the microscopic world on bat wings, exploring the types of fungi that live there and their potential impact on bat health, and human health. Discover what this means for bat conservation and the steps being taken to protect these vital creatures.
A Widening Outbreak
As of December 2025, white-nose syndrome (WNS) had been confirmed in bats in 41 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. The disease is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which infects the muzzle, ears, and wings of hibernating bats. California wildlife officials estimate that WNS has killed more than six million bats in the eastern United States since 2006 and report that it can kill up to 100% of bats in a colony during hibernation.
Researching Susceptibility
The available sources describe WNS as a severe North American wildlife disease crisis caused by the cold-loving fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Recent research is examining fungal weaknesses that might be exploited in disease management and bat skin immune features that could help explain why some species are more susceptible. A University of Waterloo study also explores why and how the fungal disease has devastated bats, though the supplied sources do not specify standard treatment methods or their limitations.
A Fungus with a Long History
Researchers believe Pseudogymnoascus destructans has been present in Eurasia, likely on bats, for millennia, although the timing of fungal evolutionary histories is difficult to determine. In North America, white-nose syndrome affects hibernating bats and is associated with the fungus growing in the skin of the nose and ears and in the wing membranes. The disease is named for the white fungus.
What Did the Bat Fungus Study Reveal?
The study involved swabbing bats and their environments in Victoria and South Australia to identify the fungi present using DNA analysis. Here's a breakdown of the key findings:
- P. destructans (White-Nose Syndrome): None of the bats or their environment tested positive.
- Histoplasma capsulatum: Detected in some bats (0-19% prevalence depending on location), but not in the environment, suggesting a low risk of transmission to humans.
- Fungal Diversity: A large variety of mostly environmental or plant-associated fungi were found on the bats' skin. These fungi were not considered significantly harmful to the bats.
Two Cryptic Fungal Species
A May 28, 2025 study reported the discovery of two cryptic, host-specialized fungal species that cause white-nose disease. The finding underscores the need to integrate study of the pathogen, according to the researchers. A January 2026 review describes WNS, caused by the cold-loving fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, as a rapidly spreading and severe wildlife disease crisis in North America.
Limits in Detection and Prediction
One study of southern Australian bent-winged bats cautions that its PCR test was not specific to Pseudogymnoascus destructans and could also detect closely related fungi, which the authors considered the most likely explanation for their results. Separately, the consequences of a P. destructans incursion for native Australian bats remain uncertain because knowledge is limited about their hibernation ecology and the effects of local cave microclimates. These gaps make it difficult to predict how an incursion would affect those populations.
What Does This Mean for Bat Conservation?
This study is the first in-depth look at the fungal communities on Australian bent-winged bats. It gives us a baseline understanding of what's normal for these creatures.
Climate, Mapping, and Monitoring
The severity of white-nose syndrome impacts has been linked to hibernaculum microclimate conditions, according to research projecting the combined effects of climate change and WNS. USGS scientists have characterized WNS effects and tracked the spread of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in North American bat populations. The agency also coordinates the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) to understand how WNS and other stressors affect bats.
Human Costs Near Bat Losses
In 2006, bats across New England began dying en masse from white-nose syndrome, described in the source as a mysterious and incurable fungal disease. Over the next decade, bat populations plummeted. A study reported that people living nearby also suffered, a connection that surprised one researcher quoted in the article.
While the fungi found in this study don't appear to be major threats to bats, the researchers emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring. They need to keep an eye out for the introduction of P. destructans and understand how changes in the environment might affect the fungal communities on bats and their health.
The information helps to implement stricter biosecurity measures to protect these bat populations and gives insights into the potential risk factors that could impact their survival.