Abstract

A total of 9,936 fleas, representing 27 species, have been processed for study and identified. They were associated with 2,011 small mammals, representing 38 species, collected throughout Morocco from October 12, 1969 to July 20, 1970 by personnel of the Smithsonian Institution. Two species, Synosternus cleopatrae pyramidis (Rothschild and Xenopsylla ramesis (Rothschild), comprised 68 percent of the fleas collected. Two subspecies are described: Ctenophthalmus andorrensis opistolatus, ssp. n. and Ctenophthalmus russulae tangerensis, ssp. n.. There are three ecological subdivisions of Morocco: the coast and coastal plains, the Atlas Mountains, and the pre-saharan desert. Even though there is some overlap, the flea fauna of each subdivision is distinctive. Human plague has occurred most frequently in the coast and coastal plains region where species of Xenopsylla and Nosopsyllus are most abundant. The flea fauna is most diversified in the presaharan region, but the threat of human plague in this region is not great, because of the sparse human population.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

1972-12-27

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/Letd190

Keywords

Fleas, Morocco; Mammals, Morocco

Language

English

Download

Share

COinS