An Assemblage of Fleas (Siphonaptera) From Canada, México, and the United States of America, in the Hastriter Collecton (Brigham Young University)

Abstract

An accumulation of fleas that constitute the Hastriter flea collection includes accounts/records of 167 species over 48 years. These officially belong to the Brigham Young University flea collection. They are summarized in this treatise with identifications of new state, county, and provicincial records from the United States, Canada, and some species that extend south into México. Records included are represented by eight families that are presented in alphabetical order (Ceratophyllidae, Ctenopthalmidae, Hystrichopsyllidae, Ischnopsyllidae, Leptopsyllidae, Pulicidae, Rhopalopsyllidae, and Vermipsyllidae). Major synonomies are provided with each species (excluding very common and cosmopolitan species) with major political subdivisions following each reference/pagination. Two appendices are included that list important references (not included in synonomies) (Appendix I) and a listing of synonyms for the family Ceratophyllidae (Appendix II). Four tables are included that list new geographical records and one table that notes new host records. Seventy-eight flea species (some of the same species were new for different state, county and provincial records) accounted for 129 new U.S. state or Canadian provincial records. These also included 12 new state records. An additional 15 new host records for 13 different flea species were documented. To aid future investigations, significant research findings such as disease investigations, zoonotic disease control measures, seasonal bionomics, et cetera are annotated in the remarks.