Overview
Lycopsylla
is an endemic genus of 2 species, each monoxenous on the commoner 2 species of wombat in south-eastern Australia.
Uropsylla
is an endemic, monotypic genus.
U
.
tasmanica
parasitises the larger dasyurids, and has an unusual life cycle including a parasitic larva which burrows into the skin of its host.
Bradiopsylla
is also endemic and monotypic, with
B
.
echidnae
parasitic on echidnas in south-eastern Australia.
Choristopsylla
is an endemic genus with 4 species associated with arboreal marsupials of the families Phalangeridae, Petauridae and Burramyidae. The above 4 genera are regarded by Mardon (1978a) as constituting the subfamily
Lycopsyllinae
, each in a monotypic tribe. The subfamily
Pygiopsyllinae
includes the following 7 genera. Of the 6 species of
Pygiopsylla
, 5 are indigenous in Australia. They are associated mainly with marsupials and rodents.
P
.
hoplia
, the most commonly recorded Australian flea, and the similar
P
.
phiola
, have been introduced to New Zealand.
Bibikovana
is a mainly Australian genus of 13 species and subspecies: 7 species are endemic in Australia, associated with both marsupials and rodents; 4 are endemic in New Guinea and appear to be derived from a common Australian ancestor but
B
.
tiptoni
in Borneo is closely related to the Australian
B
.
rainbowi
.
Notiopsylla
is a subantarctic genus associated with seabirds and centred on the New Zealand subregion, with 2 species-group taxa on Macquarie Is. but not yet recorded in Tas.
Geohollandia
is monotypic;
G
.
solida
, with but a single Australian record, is known from birds' nests in New Guinea, and has morphological characters typical of bird-fleas.
Wurunjerria
is also monotypic and endemic;
W
.
warnekei
is known only from the arboreal
Gymnobelideus
leadbeateri
in Vic. The genus
Acanthopsylla
occurs in both Australia and New Guinea, with 19 species and subspecies of which 12 are Australian, mainly associated with marsupials, and also rodents.
Hoogstraalia
is a genus of bird-fleas, with 4 species, each respectively in the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand; the Australian species
H
.
vandiemeni
is known only from Tas. The subfamily
Stivaliinae
is represented in Australia by 2 genera.
Metastivalius
is a predominantly New Guinean genus with 9 described species and several known but yet undescribed; the Australian species
M
.
rectus
and
M
.
molestus
are known only from rats in Qld.
Parastivalius
is also a New Guinean genus with 5 species; its sole Australian species
P
.
novaeguineae
, also occurs in New Guinea, associated with bandicoots.
Distribution
This family has 13 genera and over 40 species in Australia with many other species in New Guinea and South-East Asia, and one endemic genus in South America.