THE FLEAS (SIPHONAPTERA) OF ESSEX 195
Ctenocephalides f. felis (Bouche), 1835. The Cat Flea. Loughton
(Bacot, 1914); 1♀ from Felis domesticus, Maldon, — .ix.1908, G. H.
Raynor (Hopkins and Rothschild, 1953); extremely common on nearly
every local (Billericay) cat examined, R. Knowles (in litt., 24.ii.59).
*Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale), 1878. The European Rabbit Flea. Once
extremely common on rabbits this flea became quite rare on the ravage
of myxomatosis but is now becoming more frequent. 3 c?, 1 9, body of a
shot rabbit, Stock, l.iii.59, A. J. E. Harman.
HYSTRICHOPSYLLIDAE
Hystrichopsylla t. talpae (Curtis), 1826. This is the largest British
flea. From Dedham and Lawford (Strickland and Merriman, 1913);
from a mole, Epping Forest (Buck, 1947 and Eagles, 1947). One 9
from a nest of Apodemus sylvaticus, Billericay, 26.ix.57, R. Knowles.
* Rhadinopsylla pentacantha (Rothschild), 1897. This is a vole flea,
normally found in the winter months. 1 ♀, from wren's nest, Honeypot
Lane, Stock, 20.ii.59, A. J. E. Harman. Presumably a vole had also
used the nest.
* Doratopsylla d. dasycnema (Rothschild), 1897. This is a fairly com-
mon shrew flea: 1 cf, body of Sorex araneus, Theydon Bois, 19.iv.57,
A. C. Wheeler; 1♂, body of a shrew, Sible Hedingham, 2.viii.58, C. D.
Putnam.
*Palaeopsylla s. soricis (Dale), 1878. This is another common shrew
flea: 1♀ from body of Sorex araneus, Theydon Bois, 19.iv.57, A. C.
Wheeler.
Ctenophthalmus nobilis nobilis (Rothschild), 1898. Almost all mice
and voles carry this flea, or the subspecies C. n. vulgaris Smit, as do
many other small mammals. As the two subspecies were only separated
in 1955 the early records cannot be definitely allocated to this form,
although on geographical grounds it would be reasonable so to do.
Smit (1955) records it from Hockley and Rayleigh. The subspecies
can only be separated in the males, and females are considered to be of
the dominant local form. My records are: 4♂, 8 ♀ from nest linings,
hedgerows, Bradwell-on-Sea, 9.ii. to 18.iii.58, B. C. Hawgood: 1 9, nest
of wren, Honeypot Lane, Stock, 20.ii.59, A. J. E. Harman; 1 ♀, nest of
Apodemus sylvaticus, Billericay, 26.ix.57, R. Knowles.
Ctenophthalmus bisoctodentatus occidentalis Smit, 1956. This is a
common mole flea but has only been recorded from rats. Great
Horksley and Bentley (Strickland and Merriman, 1913).
ISCHNOPSYLLIDAE
This family of fleas parasitises bats.
Ischnopsyllus intermedius (Rothschild). 1898. 2♂, 1♀ from Nyctalus
noctula (Noctule Bat), Hockley, 5.ix.03, F. W. Frohawk (Hopkins and
Rothschild, 1956) which, I presume, is the basis for Smit's (1957b)
*Species so marked are additional to the Essex List given in Smit (1957a).