Records of Fleas (Siphonaptera) from Australia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea with the Description of a New Species of Bibikovana Traub, 1980 (Pygiopsyllidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Robert Traub collection of fleas is maintained in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. During the height of collecting fleas from the 1960s onward, many specimens were collected from Australia, Malaysia, and New Guinea and provided to Robert Traub. A plethora of publications resulted; however, Dr. Traub died before he could finish much of that work. Following his death, specimens were available that had never been fully studied, and in many cases, inadequately curated (alcohol material, unidentified slides, vials of dried up specimens, etc.). Following the in-depth reviews of 14 genera (published in six parts by the author), additional specimens were obtained from the Carnegie Museum. These additional specimens represented 32 species in nine flea families and are reported here for the first time. Many of the specimens included in this study, are supplementary specimens associated (but not reported) by Hastriter (2012) and in Hastriter's six-part series (Parts I–VI) published between 2013 and 2021. Among the material was a new species of Bibikovana Traub, 1980, from Australia, Bibikovana acumena, that is closely related to Bibikovana colossus (Rothschild, 1906). This new taxon is described and illustrated. The ranges of five flea species are extended: 1) Porribius caminae (Rothschild, 1903) to Tasmania, 2) Neopsylla dispar Jordan, 1932, to the island of Borneo (State of Sabah, Malaysia), 3) Bibikovana engilisi Hastriter, 2021, to Papua New Guinea, 4) Pygiopsylla zethi (Rothschild, 1904) to Mole Creek and Bridport, Tasmania, and 5) Smitella thambetosa Traub, 1968, to Papua New Guinea. Eight new host records include: 1) Sigmactenus toxopeusi Smit, 1953, on Rattus giluwensis Hill, 1960, 2) Stephanocircus pectinipes Rothschild, 1915, on Pseudomys novaehollandiae (Waterhouse, 1843), 3) Stephanocircus simsoni Rothschild, 1905, on Pseudomys higginsi Trouessart, 1897, 4) Bibikovana engilisi Hastriter, 2021 on Microperoryctes papuensis (Laurie, 1952), 5) Parastivalius gressitti Holland, 1969 on Mi. papuensis, 6) Rectidigitus glomerospinosus Hastriter, 2016 on Cercartetus caudatus (Milne-Edwards, 1877), 7) Rectidigitus traubi Holland, 1969, in a Mi. papuensis nest, and 8) Smitella thambetosa Traub, 1968 on Mammelomys rattoides (Thomas, 1922). Host data supporting the primary host of Choristopsylla ochi (Rothschild, 1904) was presented and determined to be Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr, 1792). Host associations are discussed for each species and a list of hosts and respective flea species are provided.