— PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 109(4), 2007, pp. 863-867 THE STATUS OF TRAUBELLA PRINCE, EADS AND BARNES, 1976 (SIPHONAPTERA: CERATOPHYLLIDAE) Robert E. Lewis Research Associate, Section of Invertebrate Zoology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4080, U.S.A.; mailing address: 3906 Stone Brooke Circle, Ames, lA 50010-4174, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]) — Abstract. The ceratophyllid genus Traubella is redescribed in order to contrast it with the closely related genus Malaraeus Jordan, 1933. Its literary history is reviewed and its diagnostic characters are figured. Key Words: Traubella, Malaraeus, Amphipsylla, Siphonaptera, distribution, host preferences, classification Of the 28 ceratophyllid genera with a very restricted range in southern representatives in North America a few California. An additional species, T. of them are so similar that taxonomic grundmanni Egoscue, 1989, has since discrimination is extremely difficult, es- been determined to belong to Malaraeus pecially in the females. In some groups of Jordan, 1933, according to Lewis (in plants and animals generic characters are press) and it is included in a study ofthat obvious and may involve anatomical genus. modifications such as venation, leaf Genus Traubella Prince, Eads and configuration or flower formulae, leav- Barnes, 1976 ing genitalic characters for differentia- tion at the subgeneric and species levels. Traubella Prince, Eads, and Barnes, 1976: This is not true with fleas where practi- 162-168, figs. 1-13. Type species: Am- cally the only characters used in identi- phipsyllaneotomae\. Fox, 1940. fication are genitalic. This is further Traubella: Lewis, 1990: 157. Adams and complicated by the fact that females of Lewis, 1995: 71. closely related genera are so similar as to Generic diagnosis. Male: Setae on be inseparable at the species level. It is caudal margin of legs coarse, heavy and the purpose of this study to clarify the forming false combs. Longest setae of relationship between Traubella Prince, hindtarsal segment II only extending to Eads and Barnes, 1976, and the closely base of tarsal segment IV, while these in related genus Malaraeus Jordan, 1933. Malaraeus species are more delicate and Traubella was proposed for the taxon extend at least to base of segment V. Amphipsylla neotomae I. Fox, 1940, Sternite VIII short, linear and vestigial, which was originally placed in the its apex bearing 3-5 short setae, while Leptopsyllidae. It is a rare species that this sclerite is asetose, very reduced or evidently is a parasite of Neotoma lepida absent in Malaraeus. The proximal arm Thomas, 1893 (Rodentia: Muridae), with ofSt IX truncated, its terminus blunt and 864 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON directed cephalad. This structure in of the tentorium persists in some speci- Malaraeus is not truncated, its terminus mens but is not conspicuous. Ocular setal bluntly rounded, the arm flexed caudad row of 3 bristles in both sexes. Posto- —90'. Cephalic arm of manubrium cular seta absent. Pedicellar setae short blunt, its apex only slightly flexed in males, extending to claval segments 4- dorsad, while in Malaraeus this structure 6 in females. With 1 preoccipital setal is sharply pointed and flexed dorsad. row of 1-3 bristles in males, usually in Movable process crescentric, seinicircu- females. Occipital setal row of 5-6 setae lar, its caudal margin with 3 evenly in both sexes. Labial palpi and stylets spaced long setae. In Malaraeus species extending to apex of forecoxa. Thorax: this structure is more rectangular, its Setae per side in pronotal row, 5-6 in setation varying by species. Female: In males, 4-6 in female. Spines in pronotal the female, though similar to those of comb, 22-24 in males, 19 26 in females. Malaraeus, some Megabothris Jordan, Setae per side in main mesonotal row, 5- 1933, and Monopsyllus vison Baker, 6 in both sexes and 4-6 pseudosetae 1904, they differ in the following char- under the mesonotal collar. Setae per acters. The ductus obturatus is absent; side in main metanotal row usually 5, the spermathecal hilla is papillate and the occasionally 6. Marginal metanotal spi- anal stylet is ~2x as long as wide, widest nelets 1/1 or 2/1. Metepisternal squamu- in middle and with 2-3 subapical setae. lum present as a low thickening on the Females of the 3 species of Malaraeus margin above the middle, its height possess a ductus obturatus; the hilla of about 2x its depth. Metepisternal setae the spermatheca is apapillate, and the 7-11 in 3 irregular rows. Legs: Midcoxal anal stylet is 4—5X as long as wide at sulcus incomplete. Notches in caudal base, its margins subparallel, tapering to margin of fore, mid and hindfemur 5, 6 a narrow apex, and with only 1 well and 8 in both sexes. No apical setae on developed lateral seta. hindtarsal segment I in either sex reach- Following is a redescription of the ing segment III. Lateral plantar setae on genus, including additional characters, tarsal segment V 5 per side, pair I slightly some shared by related genera that in shifted on to the plantar surface. Tarsal combination with those listed above, are ungues unmodified, sculptured ventrally. diagnostic for the genus. Abdomen (unmodified segments): No — Redescription. No genal comb. Ten- tergal "mane" on anterior abdominal torium visible as a vestige in a few segments in either sex. Marginal spinelets specimens, never conspicuous. No inter- on anterior segments 1, 1-2, 1-2 and 1-2. antennal suture. Clavus of male antenna Spiracular fossae circular and very small. extending onto propleuron. Metanotum Main setal row ofanterior segments, 6-8 and some anterior abdominal tergites per side. Modified segments: Male. with marginal spinelets. Sternite VIII of Wagner's organ absent. Apex of manu- male narrow, sometimes reduced but brium blunt to rounded, but not hooked always present and with 3-4 setae on dorsad. Terminal appendage of penis apex. Head: Frontal tubercle present but plate usually poorly developed (broken inconspicuous in both sexes. Frontal offin holotype). Penis rods coiled <180°. setal row of 5-7 bristles on males, 4-6 Antepygidial seta single, bordered dor- in females. Trabecula centralis small, sally and ventrally by short setae (not circular, above and before the eye. Eye setulae). Spiculose area on inner surface well developed although somewhat re- of st VIII absent. Sternum VIII present 3^ duced, slightly oval, with only the but reduced and bearing setae near A periphery heavily pigmented. vestige apex. Ventral anal lobe about half again VOLUME NUMBER 109, 4 865 Figs. 1-10. Traubella neotomae. 1, Clasper of holotype male. 2, Sternite VIII of male holotype. 3, Sternite IX of male holotype. 4, Crochet of male holotype. 5, Dorsal and ventral anal lobes of male holotype. 6,Anal styletoffemale. 7, Dorsalandventral anal lobesoffemale. 8, Spermathecaoffemale. 9, Bursa copulatrix offemale. 10, Variation in caudal margin ofst VII in females. 866 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON as long as dorsal lobe. Proximal arm ofst apply to the species, Traubella neotomae IX relatively straight, its expanded apex (I. Fox 1940). The other species has been directed cephalad. Distal arm of st IX reassigned to Malaraeus by Lewis (in not conspicuously bilobed. Movable press). process clavate, with 3 heavy setae on In addition to the male holotype and middle of caudal margin. Fixed process a misdesignated female "allotype" from conical, as long as movable process. Riverside County, California, from Spi- Female. Three antepygidial setae, the logalegracilis, the following material was median the longest, the laterals about available to me: California, Imperial half as long as median and usually County, from Neotoma lepida, 2 males, subequal, the dorsalmost the shorter. 2 females; Inyo County, also from N. Dorsal and ventral anal lobes of equal lepida, 1 female; Riverside County, from length. Anal stylet about 2.5X as long Neotoma nest, 1 male; and Arizona, as wide at base and usually with 2 Mohave County, from Neotoma sp. and subapical setae. Caudal margin of st Peromyscus crinitus, 1 male, 1 female. All VII sinuate, with dorsal and ventral specimens are in the Carnegie Natural lobes separated by a shallow sinus. History Museum (CMNH), Pittsburgh, Bulga of spermatheca oval, with a con- PA, and the National Museum of cave ventral margin. Hilla longer than Natural History, Smithsonian Institu- bulga, its apex with a small papilla. tion, Washington, DC. (USNM) Bursa copulatrix sinuate and sclerotized. Male 3 mm, female 4 mm. Ductus obturatus absent. Acknowledgments Traubella neotomae (I. Fox 1940) (Figs. 1-10) I thank the following curators and their institutions for the loan ofmaterial Amphipsylla neotomae I. Fox, 1940: 273, upon which this study was based. Both fig. 3. U.S.A., California, Merced Dr. John Rawlins and the late Ms. County, Dos Palos, 36.59N 120.39W. Nancy Adams loaned material from from Neotoma lepida. III. 1934, H. S. their respective institutions, the CMNH USNM Gentry leg. Holotype male, and USNM. Also, Mr. James Kucera of No. 54012. Salt Lake City made available speci- Amphipsylla neotomae: Augustson, 1942: mens of Traubella grundmanni for com- 39; 1943: 76; Ewing and I. Fox, 1943: parison with those of T. neotomae. My 31; Hubbard, 1943: 1; Costa Lima thanks to these colleagues for their and Hathaway, 1946: 256; Hubbard, cooperation. 1947: 260; Holland, 1949: 108; Au- gustson and Durham, 1961: 10; Beck Literature Cited a19n7d6:Al1l6r2e;d,Ho1p96k6i:ns24a;ndPriRnoctehscethilald.,, Adams, N. E. and R. E. Lewis. 1995. Anannotated catalogue ofprimary types ofSiphonaptera in 1971: 456; Smit and Wright, 1978: 25; the National Museum of Natural History, Adams and Lewis, 1995: 25. Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Contri- Malaraeus neotomae: Jellison et al., butions to Zoology 660: 1-86. 1953: 94; Lewis, 1974: 665. Augustson, G. F. 1942. The allotype of Amphip- Traubella neotomae: Haddow et al., sylla neotomae I. Fox, 1940. (Siphonaptera: Dolichopsyllidae). Bulletin of the Southern 1983: 161; Smit, 1983: 28; Lewis, California Academy ofSciences 41: 39^1. 1990: 157; Adams and Lewis, 1995: 25. 1943. Preliminary records and discussion . — of some species of Siphonaptera from the Remarks. Since this is a monotypic Pacific southwest. Bulletin of the Southern genus, the characters listed above also Cahfornia Academy ofSciences 42: 69-89. VOLUME NUMBER 109, 4 867 Augustson, G. F. and F. E. Durham. 1961. Hubbard, C. A. 1943. The fleas ofCalifornia (with Records of fleas (Siphonaptera) from north- check lists ofthe fleas ofOregon, Washington, western Arizona. Bulletin of the Southern British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Cahfornia Academy ofSciences 60: 100-105. Arizona) PacificUniversity Bulletin 39(8): 1-2. Beck, D. E. and D. M. Allred. 1966. Siphonaptera . 1947. Fleas ofNorth America. Iowa State (fleas) ofthe Nevada test site. Brigham Young College Press, Ames. University Science Bulletin 7: 27. Jellison, W. L., B. Locker, and R. Bacon. 1953. Costa Lima, A da. and C. R. Hathaway. 1946. Index to the literature of Siphonaptera of Pulgas: Bibliografia, catalogo e animals por North America. Supplement #1, 1939-1950. elas sugados. Monographia do Institute Os- Mimeographed manuscript. Rocky Mountain waldo Cruz 4: 1-522. Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana. Ewing, H. E. and L Fox. 1943. The fleas ofNorth Lewis, R. E. 1974. Notes on the geographical America. Classification, identificationandgeo- distribution and host preferences in the order graphic distribution of these injurious and Siphonaptera. Part 6. Ceratophylhdae. Journal disease-spreading insects. United States De- ofMedical Entomology 11: 658-676. partment of Agriculture Miscellaneous Pub- . 1990. The Ceratophyllidae: Currently licafions 500: 1-142. accepted valid taxa (Insecta: Siphonaptera). Fox, L 1940. Siphonaptera from western United Theses Zoologicae 13. Koeltz Scientific Books States. Journal ofthe Washington Academy of Koenigstein, Germany. Sciences 30: 272-275. . In press. MalaraeusJordan, 1933, a North Haddow,J. F., R. Traub, and M. Rothschild. 1983. Aatmoeprhiylclaindaeg)e.nuAsnnoaflsfloefasth(eSiCpahronneagpiteerMau:seCeurm- Distribution of ceratophyllid fleas and notes ofNatural History. on their hosts. Material in the collection, with Prince, F. M., R. B. Eads, andA. M. Barnes. 1976. Tnortaeusb,anRd.,mMa.psRootfhstchheilgde,nearna,d pJ.p.F.42H-a1d6d3.owI,n CTerraaubteolplhay,llaidnaee)w. gJeonuursnaolffolfeaM(eSdiipchoanlapEtnetrao:- eds. The Rothschild collection of fleas. The mology 13: 162-168. family Ceratophyllidae: Key to the genera and Smit, F. G. A. M. 1983. Key to the genera and relationships, with notes on their evolution, subgenera of Ceratophyllidae, pp. 1^1. In zoogeography and medical importance Cam- Traub, R., M. Rothschild, and J. F. Haddow, bridge University Press. U. K. Distributed by eds. The Rothschild collection of fleas. The Academic Press, Inc. London. family Ceratophyllidae: Key to the genera and Holland, G. P. 1949. The Siphonaptera ofCanada. relationships, with notes on their evolution, Canadian Department of Agriculture Techni- zoogeography and medical importance Cam- cal Bulletin 70: 1-306. bridge University Press. U. K. Distributed by Hopkins, G. H. E. and M. Rothschild. 1971. An Academic Press, Inc. London. illustrated catalogue of the Rothschild collec- Smit, F. G. A. M. andA. M.Wright. 1978. Alist of tion of fleas (Siphonaptera) in the British code numbers of species and subspecies of Museum (Natural History). Vol. V. Leptop- Siphonaptera. Department of Entomology. syUidae, Ancistropsyllidae. British Museum British Museum (Natural History). London (Natural History), London. (mimeographed).