Black Flying Fox (Pteropus alecto) Interleukin-8 (IL-8), also known as CXCL8, is a pro-inflammatory chemokine that plays a key role in innate immune responses by mediating neutrophil recruitment, activation, and chemotaxis to sites of infection or tissue injury. As a megabat species recognized as a natural reservoir for several zoonotic viruses—including Hendra virus—P. alecto exhibits unique immune regulatory characteristics, making IL-8 an important molecule for understanding bat host-pathogen interactions. Functionally similar to IL-8 in other mammals, Black Flying Fox IL-8 likely signals through CXCR1 and CXCR2 receptors to activate downstream pathways involved in leukocyte migration and inflammatory amplification. In this species, regulation of IL-8 is of particular interest because bats often control viral replication without developing excessive inflammatory pathology, suggesting tightly modulated chemokine responses. Characterization of P. alecto IL-8 supports research into mechanisms of immune tolerance, antiviral defense, and inflammation control in reservoir hosts, while also aiding development of species-specific reagents for monitoring immune activation in both field and laboratory studies.