Family MACROPSYLLIDAE

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Introduction

The Macropsyllidae, with two monotypic genera, Macropsylla Rothschild and Stephanopsylla Rothschild, are confined to Australia. The two species have been recorded, mostly from native rodents, but occasionally also from marsupials. Jordan (1950) considered this group as a subfamily of the Ctenopsyllidae while Smit (1982) regarded it as a subfamily of Hystrichopsyllidae and Hopkins & Rothschild (1953) raised it to family rank. Jordan (1950) stated that the peculiar head of Stephanopsylla thomasi combines the characters of bat fleas (Ischnopsyllidae) and helmet-fleas (Stephanocircidae). Smit (1973), studying the genitalia, perceived an indication of close affinities of the Macropsyllidae with the Stephanocircidae.

The Macropsyllidae are characterised as head fracticipit; head with conspicuous genal ctenidium along oral margin and up antennal fossa; occiput with conspicuous, single internal tubercle; metanotum without marginal spinelets.

General References

Hopkins, G.H.E. & Rothschild, M. 1953. Catalogue of the Rothschild Collection of Fleas (Siphonaptera) in the British Museum (Natural History). London : British Museum Vol. 1 xv 359 pp. 45 pls.

Jordan, K. 1950. On characteristics common to all known species of Suctoria and some trends of evolution in this order of insects. Proc. 8th Int. Congr. Entomol. Stockholm 1948. 87-95 pp.

Smit, F.G.A.M. 1973. The male of Stephanopsylla thomasi (Siphonaptera: Macropsyllidae). Entomologische Berichten (Amsterdam) 33: 215-217

Smit, F.G.A.M. 1982. Siphonaptera. pp. 557-563 in Parker, S.P. (ed.). Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms. New York : McGraw Hill Vol. 2 1232 pp.

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