102 MISC. PUBLICATION 5 00, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



The family Pulicidae contains three subfamilies, as follows : Spilop- 

 syllinae, Chimaeropsyllinae, and Pulicinae. 



The family name Pulicidae was first used in 1829, by Stephens 

 (71, p. 328), who applied it to all the fleas. Oudemans (59, p. 157), 

 in 1909, attributed the family to Taschenberg, and Wagner (SO, p. 5) 

 did likewise. Dalla Torre (10, p. 22) attributed the family to Oude- 

 mans. In the restricted sense in which the name Pulicidae is here 

 used, it has no synonyms. 



The Subfamily SPILOPSYLLINAE Oudemans 



Fronto-epicranial suture poorly developed or absent. Eyes usually well de- 

 veloped and heavily pigmented but may be absent. Front not greatly reduced, 

 with rounded or angulate margin ; frontal tubercle present or absent. Genal 

 comb present or absent. Pronotal comb present or absent. Mesepistenmm sep- 

 arated from mesepimeron by an internal, vertical ridge. Episternum III usually 

 divided into upper and lower parts. Hind coxa either with or without a row 

 or patch of spinelets on inner surface. 



Included in this subfamily are 25 genera, of which 8 are represented 

 in the North American fauna. 



The subfamily Spilopsyllinae was established by Oudemans (59, p. 

 156), in 1909, for the single genus SpilopsyHus Baker. Dalla Torre 

 (10, p. 7), in 1924, added three more. The family Pulicidae and the 

 subfamily Spilopsyllinae are closely related to the family Dolichop- 

 syllidae through the genus Megartkroglossus Jordan and Rothschild. 

 There has never been any agreement among workers on the fleas as to 

 just where the family limits should be placed. 



Key to North American Genera of Spilopsyllinae 



1. Coxa III with a row or patch of spinelets on inner surface 2 



Coxa III without a row or patch of spinelets on inner surface 6 



2. Pronotal comb absent • 3 



Pronotal comb present 4 



3. Segment V of each tarsus with only 3 pairs of lateral plantar bristles. 



North American Aotenopsylla Jordan and Rothschild. 



Segment V of each tarsus with 4 pairs of lateral plantar bristles; 

 episternum III divided into upper and lower parts; antennal club 

 not segmented on anterior surface Xenopsylla Glinkiewicz. 



4. Genal comb absent ; club of antenna subcapitate Hoplopsyllus Baker. 



Genal comb present 5 



5. Genal comb about horizontal and extending forward to fronto-genal 



angle of head; front not angulate 



Ctenocephalides Stiles and Collins. 

 Genal comb more nearly vertical than horizontal and composed of spines 

 that are rounded at apex; front somewhat angulate dorsally; labial 

 palpus 4-segmented. Occurring on North American hares and rab- 

 bits CediopsylJa Jordan. 



6. Pronotal comb present 7 



Pronotal comb absent; frontal tubercle present; eyes absent 



Anomiopsyllus Baker. 



7. Labial palpus 4-segmented ; femora without lateral setae 



Callistopsyllus Jordan and Rothschild. 



Labial palpus 5-segmented, the fifth segment equal to, or longer than, 



II, III, and IV taken eogether ; lobe on posterior margin of coxa III 



acute ; Megarthroglossus Jordan and Rothschild. 



