title: The influence of life history characteristics on flea (Siphonaptera) species distribution models.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ectoparasites exhibit pronounced variation in life history characteristics such as time spent on the host and host range. Since contemporary species distribution (SD) modelling does not account for differences in life history, the accuracy of predictions of current and future species' ranges could differ significantly between life history groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SD model performance was compared between 21 flea species that differ in microhabitat preferences and level of host specificity. Distribution models generally performed well, with no significant differences in model performance based on either microhabitat preferences or host specificity. However, the relative importance of predictor variables was significantly related to host specificity, with the distribution of host-opportunistic fleas strongly limited by thermal conditions and host-specific fleas more associated with conditions that restrict their hosts' distribution. The importance of temperature was even more pronounced when considering microhabitat preference, with the distribution of fur fleas being strongly limited by thermal conditions and nest fleas more associated with variables that affect microclimatic conditions in the host nest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contemporary SD modelling, that includes climate and landscape variables, is a valuable tool to study the biogeography and future distributions of fleas and other parasites taxa. However, consideration of life history characteristics is cautioned as species may be differentially sensitive to environmental conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.|Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Luther
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Mescht
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: le Roux
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Conrad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Matthee
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Morgan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Raath
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa. smatthee@sun.ac.za.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matthee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002980:Climate; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods*; D005843:Geography; D015233:Models, Statistical; D058974:Phylogeography; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: AUC; Climate envelope modelling; Host specificity; Life history; MaxEnt; Microhabitat preference; SD; Siphonaptera; Small mammals; TSS