Description of Lentistivalius philippinensis,a new species of flea (Siphonaptera,Pygiosyllomorpha, Stivaliidae), and new records of Ascodipterinae (Streblidae) on bats and other small mammals from Luzon,The Philippines

During May 2009 and July 2011, we collected 357 mammals and examined each for ectoparasites. Among the ectoparasites collected, a new species of flea was discovered. This new species, Lentistivalius philippinensis, is described from the male sex only. Two males were recovered from two specimens of the soricid Crocidura grayi Dobson in Municipality Maria Aurora, Aurora Province, Luzon, Philippines. Additional fleas included Thaumapsylla breviceps orientalis Smit, Thaumapsylla longiforceps Traub, and Ischnopsyllus indicus Jordan. Although the latter species is common in Japan and documented in Guam (as well as mainland Southeast Asia) also on Pipistrellus javanicus (Gray), Ischnopsyllus indicus represents a new record in the Philippine Islands. The ascodipterinae (Streblidae) Maabella stomalata and Ascodipteron speiserianum Muir collected from Rhinolophus inops K. Andersen and Rhinolophus subrufus K. Andersen, respectively, also represent new host records. A key to the species of the flea genus Lentistivalius Traub is provided.     

The Australian giant fleas Macropsylla Rothschild, 1905 (Siphonaptera: Macropsyllidae: Macropsyllinae), their identification,evolution, ecology,and conservation biology

Systematic Parasitology - Macropsylla Rothschild, 1905 is an endemic Australian flea genus represented by two species: M. hercules Rothschild, 1905 and M. novaehollandiae Hastriter, 2002. However,...     

Description of Medwayella independencia (Siphonaptera,Stivaliidae), a new species of flea from Mindanao Island,the Philippines and their phoretic mites,and miscellaneous flea records from the Malay Archipelago

Medwayella independencia, a new species of flea, is described from the tupaiid host Urogale everetti (Thomas) from Mindanao Island, Philippines. Several other species of fleas are also recorded from the Philippines including a single male of Lentistivalius philippinensis Hastriter and Bush, 2013 (previously known only from two males), the bat fleas Thaumapsylla breviceps orientalis Smit and Thaumapsylla longiforceps Traub, a single unidentified female species of Macrostylophora Ewing collected from the murid Bullimus bagobos Mearns, and a pair of Medwayella robinsoni ssp. from Sundasciurus hoogstraali (Sanborn) from Busuanga Island, Philippines. Representatives of Medwayella Traub, 1972 and Macrostylophora have not previously been recorded from the Philippines. A key to the male sex of Medwayella is provided. Phoretic mites of the genus Psylloglyphus (family Winterschmidtiidae) were present under the abdominal sclerites of several male and female specimens of M. independencia. This is the second report of a phoretic mite on a species of Medwayella Traub. The co-evolutionary implications between phoretic mites and fleas are discussed.     

Bionomics and distribution of species of Hystrichopsylla in Arizona and New Mexico, with a description of Hystrichopsylla dippiei obliqua, n. ssp. (Siphonaptera: Hystrichopsyllidae).

More than 450 specimens of Hystrichopsylla were collected from nests and hosts of species of Microtus, Neotoma, Tamiasciurus, and Peromyscus in Arizona and New Mexico from 1981-2004. A new subspecies, Hystrichopsylla dippiei obliqua, is described and a map illustrating the distribution of the three taxa (Hystrichopsylla dippiei truncata Holland, H. d. obliqua, and H. occidentalis sylvaticus Campos and Stark) occurring in Arizona and New Mexico is provided. Hystrichopsylla. o. sylvaticus is reported in New Mexico for the first time and H. d. truncata is a new record in Rio Aribba County, NM. Relationships of Mexican species are also discussed. These large fleas are seldom collected from the fur of their mammalian hosts (usually singly) but are prevalent in moist nests. The maximum number of the new subspecies collected from a single nest was 54. Dry nests, particularly those that are not subterranean or otherwise protected from desiccation, do not support development of Hystrichopsylla fleas. Minimum elevation at which H. dippiei ssp. is found in Arizona and New Mexico appears to be about 2,100 m.     

A new flea of the genus Ctenidiosomus (Siphonaptera,Pygiopsyllidae) from Salta Province,Argentina

A new species of flea of the genus Ctenidiosomus Jordan, 1931 (Siphonaptera: Pygiopsyllidae) is described from Phyllotis osilae J. A. Allen, 1901, from Salta Province, Argentina. This is the first time that Ctenidiosomus has been recorded in Argentina. A key to species of males of Ctenidiosomus is presented.     

Description of a new species of Ectinorus (E. spiculatus) (Siphonaptera, Rhopalopsyllidae) from Argentina and a review of the subgenus Ichyonus Smit, 1987

A new species, Ectinorus spiculatus, is described from Phyllotis xanthopygus (Waterhouse) and Akodon iniscatus Thomas from Neuquén Province, Argentina. Habitat characteristics are presented for the type locality. A change in status of four additional subspecies of the Ectinorus subgenus Ichyonus Smit is provided. Ectinorus onychius onychius Jordan and Rothschild, Ectinorus onychius deplexus Smit and Ectinorus onychius angularis Smit & Rosicky were elevated to specific status. Ectinorus (Ichyonus) onychius fueginus was relegated as a junior synonym of the nominate species. Phyllotis xanthopygus, Abrothrix olivaceus xanthorhinus, Loxodontomys micropus Waterhouse, and Euneomys chinchilloides (Waterhouse) are new host records for Ectinorus onychius. A key to the three species of Ichyonus is included.     

New distribution and host records for Hectopsylla pulex Haller (Siphonaptera,Tungidae) with notes on biology and morphology

Hectopsylla pulex Haller is documented for the first time from Cochise County, Arizona on the Lesser Long-nosed bat, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae Martinez and Villa (Phyllostomidae). This represents the first record of this flea on this Chiropteran Family. The most favorable site of attachment of H. pulex appears to be the head, particularly the ears and tragus. The potential interference of echolocation caused by flea attachment at or near the tragus is discussed in addition to host preferences and specialized morphological features. It is demonstrated that expansion of abdominal segments during egg development is a function of mechanical design and not neosomy such as occurs in Tunga monositus Barnes and Radovsky, Neotunga euloidea Smit and some vermipsyllid fleas.     

A molecular phylogeny of fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera): origins and host associations

Siphonaptera (fleas) is a highly specialized order of holometabolous insects comprising ～2500 species placed in 16 families. Despite a long history of extensive work on flea classification and biology, phylogenetic relationships among fleas are virtually unknown. We present the first formal analysis of flea relationships based on a molecular matrix of four loci (18S ribosomal DNA, 28S ribosomal DNA, Cytochrome Oxidase II, and Elongation Factor 1‐alpha) for 128 flea taxa from around the world representing 16 families, 25 subfamilies, 26 tribes, and 83 flea genera with eight outgroups. Trees were reconstructed using direct optimization and maximum likelihood techniques. Our analysis supports Tungidae as the most basal flea lineage, sister group to the remainder of the extant fleas. Pygiopsyllomorpha is monophyletic, as are the constituent families Lycopsyllidae, Pygiopsyllidae, and Stivaliidae, with a sister group relationship between the latter two families. Macropsyllidae is resolved as sister group to Coptopsyllidae with moderate nodal support. Stephanociricidae is monophyletic, as are the two constituent subfamilies Stephanocircinae and Craneopsyllinae. Vermipsyllidae is placed as sister group to Jordanopsylla. Rhopalopsyllidae is monophyletic as are the two constituent subfamilies Rhopalopsyllinae and Parapsyllinae. Hystrichopsyllidae is paraphyletic with Hystrichopsyllini placed as sister to some species of Anomiopsyllini and Ctenopariini placed as sister to Carterettini. Ctenophthalmidae is grossly paraphyletic with the family broken into seven lineages dispersed on the tree. Most notably, Anomiopsyllini is paraphyletic. Pulicidae and Chimaeropsyllidae are both monophyletic and these families are sister groups. Ceratophyllomorpha is monophyletic and includes Ischnopsyllidae, Ceratophyllidae, and Leptopsyllidae. Leptopsyllidae is paraphyletic as are its constituent subfamilies Amphipsyllinae and Leptopsyllinae and the tribes Amphipsyllini and Leptopsyllini. Ischnopsyllidae is monophyletic. Ceratophyllidae is monophyletic, with a monophyletic Dactypsyllinae nested within Ceratophyllinae, rendering the latter group paraphyletic. Mapping of general host associations on our topology reveals an early association with mammals with four independent shifts to birds. © The Willi Hennig Society 2008.     

The arthropod,but not the vertebrate host or its environment,dictates bacterial community composition of fleas and ticks

Bacterial community composition in blood-sucking arthropods can shift dramatically across time and space. We used 16S rRNA gene amplification and pyrosequencing to investigate the relative impact of vertebrate host-related, arthropod-related and environmental factors on bacterial community composition in fleas and ticks collected from rodents in southern Indiana (USA). Bacterial community composition was largely affected by arthropod identity, but not by the rodent host or environmental conditions. Specifically, the arthropod group (fleas vs ticks) determined the community composition of bacteria, where bacterial communities of ticks were less diverse and more dependent on arthropod traits—especially tick species and life stage—than bacterial communities of fleas. Our data suggest that both arthropod life histories and the presence of arthropod-specific endosymbionts may mask the effects of the vertebrate host and its environment.