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The fleas (Siphonaptera) of Egypt. An illustrated and annotated key.

An illustrated key to the fleas of Egypt is accompanied by brief statements concerning the occurrence of each species. A complete list of species occurring in Egypt and a host/parasite list are provided. References to recent literature pertaining to the Egyptian flea fauna are included. Through the efforts of the Department of Medical Zoology, United States Naval Medical Research Unit Number Three, Cairo, Egypt, UAR, the composition of the siphonapteran fauna of Egypt is better known than that of any other eastern Mediterranean country. The present illustrated key is designed to permit ready identification of each flea species in the Egyptian fauna and to summarize noteworthy information concerning each species. Persons interested in the flea fauna of Egypt should consult the works of Hoogstraal and Traub (1963a, b, 1965a, b, 1966), Traub (1954, 1963a, b), Traub and Hoogstraal (1957), Traub and Evans (1967), and Lewis (1966, 1967). I wish to thank Dr. Harry Hoogstraal, Director of Medical Zoology, NAMRU-3, Dr. Robert Traub, Department of Microbiology, University of Maryland, and Messrs. G. H. E. Hopkins and F. G. A. M. Smit of the British Museum (Natural History), Tring, England, for their many helpful suggestions. KEY TO THE FLEAS OF EGYPT 1. Either pronotal or pronotal and genal combs present 2 Neither pronotal nor genal comb present 24 2. Both pronotal and genal comb present (Figs. 1, 10, 16) 3 Only pronotal comb present (Figs. 26, 31, 37) 17 Received for publication 6 March 1967. *From Research Project MR005.09-1402.5, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, Washington, D. C. The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private ones of the author and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Navy or of the naval service at large. t Present address: Department of Zoology and Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010. 3. Genal comb of no more than 2 spines which are blunt or rounded apically -4 Genal comb of 4 or more spines, rounded or pointed apically 10 4. Eye vestigial; spines of genal comb broad and blunt apically (Figs. 1, 4); frontal tuber present; parasites of bats 5 Eye well developed; spines of genal comb narrow and rounded apically (Figs. 10, 16, 20); frontal tuber absent; parasites of rodents and carnivores 9 5. Metepimeron with well-developed false comb of spiniform bristles 6 Metepimeron lacking false comb —7 6. False comb of metepimeron of 14 to 16 sharp, spiniform bristles (Fig. 3); frons about as long as high …….———Chiropteropsylla aegyptia This species is recorded only from Egypt, from bats of the genera Taphozous and Rhinopoma. False comb of metepimeron of 8 to 10 much blunter spiniform bristles (Fig. 2); frons longer than high .–.–..-Chiropteropsylla b. brockmani Except for a questionable subspecies based on one female from Iraq, this flea species, found on Lavia, Asellia, and Taphozous, is known only from Egypt and Somaliland. 7. Dorsal part of anterior margin of frons rugulose; metanotum and abdominal tergites 1 to 6 with combs …..—.. .–.–.. Ischnopsyllus consimilis A rare bat flea f the eastern Mediterranean. Typically a parasite of Pipistrellus kuhli, Hopkins and Rothschild (1956) record it from Egypt and Israel. It has since been reported from Lebanon (Lewis, 1962) and probably occurs eastward to Iraq. Dorsal margin of frons smooth; abdominal tergites conspicuously thickened anteriorly (Fig. 5), lacking combs 8