Mammal Fleas (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) New for Alaska and the Southeastern Mainland Collected During Seven Years of a Field Survey of Small Mammals

Authors

  • Glenn E. Haas PO Box 60985 Boulder City, NV 89006
  • James R. Kucera Associated Regional and University Pathologists, Inc. Salt Lake City, UT
  • Amy M. Runck Biology Department Idaho State University Pocatello, ID
  • Stephen O. MacDonald Museum of Southwestern Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM
  • Joseph A. Cook Museum of Southwestern Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM

Keywords:

fleas, Siphonaptera, mammals, Alaska

Abstract

Ten taxa of mammal fleas were among 124 collection records from 12 host species (one shrew, nine rodents and two carnivores), at 72 localities on the southeastern Alaska mainland in 1989 and during an extensive survey of mammals in 1992-1995 and 1997-1999. Megabothris asio megacolpus (Jordan) ex Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord), Malaraeus telchinus (Rothschild) ex Peromyscus keeni (Rhoads) and Clethrionomys gapperi (Vigors) are new fleas for Alaska. Orchopeas caedens (Jordan) ex Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (Erxleben) is a new flea for southeastern Alaska. Synaptomys borealis (Richardson) is a new host record for Opisodasys k. keeni (Baker). The other six taxa of fleas collected were Hystrichopsylla dippiei spinata Holland, H. o. occidentalis Holland, Catallagia charlottensis (Baker), Ceratophyllus ciliatus protinus Jordan, Megabothris abantis (Rothschild) and Opisodasys vesperalis (Jordan). Of these, H. o. occidentalis, C. charlottensis and M. abantis have seven new host records for the southeastern Alaska mainland. Distribution patterns of the fleas and their host relationships in North America are discussed.

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Vol. 102 (2005): Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia

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