Family STEPHANOCIRCIDAE
Compiler and date details
Andrew A. Calder, CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Introduction
The Stephanocircidae are a small family of 9 genera and 52 species and subspecies (Lewis 1998) known only from Australia and South and Central America; each continent has an endemic subfamily. The Australian Stephanocircinae include nine species and subspecies, while the Craneopsyllinae comprise 43 species and subspecies in South and Central America.
Of the two Australian genera, the monotypic Coronapsylla parasitises various Antechinus species, while species of Stephanocircus occur on a wide range of marsupial and rodent hosts. The Neotropical Craneopsyllinae are mainly associated with rodents, but some parasitise marsupials and occasionally insectivores. Traub & Dunnet (1973) discuss the relationships of the family.
The Stephanocircidae are characterised as head fracticipit; eye reduced or absent; head with vertical anterior helmet delimited by a suture, and bearing a conspicuous ctenidium, and a separate near-vertical genal ctenidium; occiput with a conspicuous, single internal tubercle on dorsal margin; mesonotum with pseudosetae under collar.
General References
Lewis, R.E. 1998. Résumé of the Siphonaptera (Insecta) of the World. Journal of Medical Entomology 35(4): 377-389 [Date published 31/July/1998]
Traub, R. & Dunnet, G.M. 1973. Revision of the Siphonapteran genus Stephanocircus Skuse, 1893 (Stephanocircidae). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 20: 41-128 [Date published 11/May/1973]
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |