227
Records of Siphonaptera (Fleas) collected from
birds and mammals in Essex
By Gordon B. Thompson
George (1959) gave an excellent summary of the county flea
records. Since then Phillips and Underwood (1961), Hopkins
and Rothschild (1962, 1963) and Mead-Briggs (1964) have pub-
lished additional records.
The following new records are published because they add
something to our knowledge of distribution and hosts and in the
hope that more interest may be stimulated in a relatively neglected
field in the county.
Following the publication of George's paper (1959) he received
a number of specimens from the following: Messrs G. E. Barnes,
J. R. Caldwell, D. I. Chapman, G. B. Corbet, P. D. Gabbutt, P.
M. Hammond, A. J. E. Harman, B. Harley, S. Harris, B. C.
Hawgood, D. Hunford, A. M. Hutson, R. J. Knowles, M. A. Large,
E. D. Morley, G. Phillips, C. D. Putman, M. C. Shelduck and Dr
Rook. Mr R. S. George has very kindly passed all his records to
me for inclusion in this paper and I would like to express my deep
gratitude to him for this gesture and for re-examining all the
specimens in my collection. Additionally, I have received many
specimens from the Colchester and Essex Museum (CM) and the
Passmore Edwards Museum (PEM) through the kindness of
Messrs Raymond E. Chaplin, J. J. Heath and Clifford E. Owen.
I would like to thank all these gentlemen for their contributions.
Throughout the list of records only the initials of the collector or
institution are given.
An asterisk denotes a new record for the county. There are
three in all.
PULICIDAE
Pulex irritans L., 1♂, 'on a man', Billericay, 10.x.59 (A.J.E.H.):
5 ♂ ♂ 6 ♀ ♀, Vulpes vulpes (L.) (Fox), Wickford—no other data
(CM.).
The fox is a true host of this cosmopolitan flea and it also
occurs on badgers.
Archaeopsylla e. erinacei (Bouche), ♂ ♂ ♀ ♀, Erinaceus
europaeus L. (Hedgehog), Woodford Green, 2.X.59 (G.E.B.);
♂ ♂ ♀ ♀, Leigh-on-Sea, 9.X.59 (A.J.E.H.); ♂ ♂ ♀ ♀, Boxted, 20.vii.61
(CM.); ♂ ♂ ♀ ♀, Billericay, 8.x.59 (A.J.E.H.): ♂ ♀ ♀, Woodford
Green, vi.64 (D.I.C.); ♂ ♂ ♀ ♀, Chesterford Park, 8.iv.67, 18.iv.67,
23.iv.67 (G.B.T.): 'Springer Spaniel—♀', Colchester, Fingringhoe,
ix.61 (CM.): 2♂ ♂ 2 ♀ ♀, V. vulpes— ♂, Woodford Green, 26.xi.67
(S.H.): 8♂ ♂ 1 ♀ ,'Irish Setter', Sible Hedingham, 20.X.67 (C.D.P.).