FLEAS (SIPHONAPTERA) ASSOCIATED WITH GROUND SQUIRRELS (SPERMOPHILUS SPP.) IN MANITOBA, CANADA

Abstract

Twenty-one species of fleas, seven of which are considered true ground squirrel fleas, were collected by various means from Spermophilus richardsonii (Sabine), S. tridecemlineatus (Mitchell), and S. franklinii (Sabine) in Manitoba. Opisocrostis tuberculatus tuberculatus (Baker), O. labis (Jordan and Rothschild), Neopsylla inopina Rothschild, and Rhadinopsylla fraterna (Baker) are ground squirrel fleas reported from Manitoba for the first time. These, in addition to Oropsylla rupestris (Jordan) and Thrassis bacchi bacchi (Rothschild), were restricted to the southwestern region of the province, but Opisocrostis bruneri (Baker) was collected throughout the range of the ground squirrels, irrespective of location. Fourteen species collected were considered accidental on ground squirrels, one of which, Tamiophila grandis (Rothschild) (an eastern chipmunk parasite), was recorded for the first time in the province.