116 MISC. PUBLICATION 5 0, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



The Subfamily PULICINAE Tiraboschi 



Head not divided by f ronto-epicranial groove ; postantennal region not dorsally 

 incrassate. Eyes large, nearly circular, and heavily pigmented. Front not 

 greatly reduced ; frontal tubercle absent. Labial palpus short, not reaching apex 

 of coxa I. Pronotal comb absent. Mesepisternum not separated from mes- 

 epimeron. Hind coxa with either 1 or 2 rows or a patch of spinelets on inner 

 surface. Abdomen without apical spines. 



This subfamily contains but three genera, Pulex Linnaeus, Jux- 

 tapulex Wagner, and Moeopsylla Rothschild. Only the two first- 

 mentioned genera are represented in the North American fauna. 



The subfamily Pulicinae was proposed as such by Tiraboschi (75, 

 p. 21$) in 1904. It represents a very clear-cut natural group of genera. 

 The subfamily Pulicinae, as here recognized, does not include the 

 same genera as were included in Jordan's classification of the Pulicidae 

 published in 1926 (39, p. 600). He included in the subfamily the 

 genera Twig a Jarocki, Hectopsylla Frauenfeld, and Echidnophaga 

 Olliff. 



Key to North American Genera of Pulicinae 



Mandibles but slightly enlarged ; front margin of head never angulate ; genal 

 comb never represented by more than 1 pale, toothlike process. Occurring 

 in both New and Old Worlds . Puled Linnaeus. 



Mandibles much enlarged, as long as, or longer than, maxillary palpi ; front 

 either round or angulate ; genal comb represented by 2 short, pale, tooth- 

 like processes. Occurring in tropical and subtropical America 



Juxtapulcx Wagner. 



The Genus Pulex Linnaeus 



(Fig. 12, A) 



Pulex Linnaeus, 175S. Systema Naturae, ed. 10, p. 614. Type, Pulex irritans 

 Linnaeus (by subsequent designation). 



Frontal region of head much higher than long. Eyes large, black, subangulate 

 ventrally. Two or 3 setae in ocular row. Antennal groove closed. Gena with 

 very broad ventral lobe; genal comb absent or represented by a single tooth. 

 Mandible not enlarged, much shorter than maxillary palpus. Labial palpus 

 with 4 distinct segments ; anterior margin sclerotized. Metepimeron very much 

 more extended vertically than longitudinally. Hind coxa with a patch of spine- 

 lets on inner surface. Sternal plate VIII of male large, broad, unmodified ; 

 sternal plate IX with vertical internal processes. 



Linnaeus included two species in Pulex, the type species and P. 

 penetrans (now the type species of Tunga Jarocki). As the genus is 

 defined in the present work, it includes but two species, the type 

 species and P. conepati Cunha, 1914. 



Pulex irritans dugesii Baker 



(Fig. 12, A) 



Pulex irritans var. dugesii Baker, 1899, Ent. News 10 : 37. 

 Pulex dugesii Baker, 1904, U. S. Natl. Mus. Proc. 27 : 379. 



Type host. — "Spermophilis macrourus" (ground squirrel). 

 Type locality. — Guanajuato, Mexico. 

 Range. — Known only from Mexico. 



