title: [MORPHOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF FLEAS' STRUCTURES (SIPHONAPTERA) PART 3: GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES OF THORACIC SETATION].
abstract: The paper continues a series of publications (Medvedev, 2015a, b) devoted to the analysis of flea structural features. In the present publication, structural features of flea thoracic setation are analyzed for the first time. Six characters with 53 states in the structure of the chaetom of the pronotum, meso-, and metathoracic. segments are distinguished. The author analyzes the cases of the formation of similar states stipulated by processes of reduction or, by contrast, by strengthening of the chaetom in fleas of separate genera belonging to different superfamilies in relation to the type or peculiarities of parasitism in different flea species. In spite of the presence of strong variability in arrangement and number of thoracic setae, some examples of marking of groups in the range families and superfamilies by certain states of the chaetotaxy of the pronotum and metepimera are revealed.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Medvedev
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000648:ultrastructure*