New record of a phoretic flea associated with earwigs (Dermaptera, Arixeniidae) and a redescription of the bat flea Lagaropsylla signata (Siphonaptera, Ischnopsyllidae)

A new record of the phoretic flea Lagaropsylla signata, previously known only from Java, Indonesia, has been documented in Deer Cave, Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. This discovery reveals an obligate parasitic relationship between L. signata and the earwig Arixenia esau, which serves as a vector for accessing bat hosts. The study also includes a redescription of L. signata and compares its association with A. esau to that of another phoretic flea, L. turba, found in peninsular Malaysia. The research highlights the evolutionary parallel between these fleas, earwigs, and their bat hosts, providing insights into their natural history and co-existence within cave ecosystems.

Hastriter, M. W., Miller, K. B., Svenson, G. J., Martin, G. J., & Whiting, M. (2017). New record of a phoretic flea associated with earwigs (Dermaptera, Arixeniidae) and a redescription of the bat flea Lagaropsylla signata (Siphonaptera, Ischnopsyllidae). ZooKeys, 657, 67–79. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.657.11095