New record of a phoretic flea associated with earwigs (Dermaptera, Arixeniidae) and a redescription of the bat fleaLagaropsylla signata(Siphonaptera, Ischnopsyllidae).
Lagaropsylla signata(Wahlgren, 1903), previously known only from the Island of Java, Indonesia is redescribed and reported for the first time in Deer Cave, Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (west coast of Borneo). Many were found clinging to the earwigArixenia esauJordan, 1909. A similar account of a phoretic flea (Lagaropsylla turbaSmit, 1958) on the same species of cave-dwelling earwig has been reported in peninsular Malaysia in a well-documented association with the hairless naked bulldog bat,Cheiromeles torquatusHorsfield, 1824. The association ofLagaropsylla signatawithArixenia esauis parallel to the evolution and co-existence with bats in Deer Cave just as in the case ofLagaropsylla turba,Arixenia esau, andCheiromeles torquatus. The evidence suggests thatLagaropsylla turbaandLagaropsylla signataare obligate phoretic parasites whose survival depends onArixenia esauto access a bat host.Arixenia esauis reported for the first time in Deer Cave and the occurrence ofLagaropsylla signataon the island of Borneo represented a new record, previously being found only on the island of Java. Images ofLagaropsylla signataattached toArixenia esauare provided.Xeniaria jacobsoni(Burr, 1912), often associated withArixenia esauin other geographical areas, was not present in the material examined from Deer Cave. The natural history of the earwig generaArixeniaJordan, 1909 andXeniariaMaa, 1974 are discussed and summarized relative to their associations with phoretic fleas and their bat hosts.
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 290 MLBM, P.O. Box 20200, Provo, Utah 84602-0200, USA.
Michael W
MW
Hastriter
Department of Biology and Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
Kelly B
KB
Miller
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
Gavin J
GJ
Svenson
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA; Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84606, USA.
Gavin J
GJ
Martin
Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 290 MLBM, P.O. Box 20200, Provo, Utah 84602-0200, USA; Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84606, USA.
Michael F
MF
Whiting
Arixenia esau; Deer Cave; Gunung Mulu National Park; Lagaropsylla turba; Xeniaria jacobsoni; insect phoresy