Stenoponia americana ( Baker , 1899)

Beatriz, Salceda-Sánchez & Hastriter, Michael W., 2006, A list of the fleas (Siphonaptera) of Mexico with new host and distribution records, Zootaxa 1296, pp. 29-43 : 37-38

Stenoponia americana ( Baker, 1899)

Material examined— Hidalgo: Tenango de Doria, 21 km NE Metepec (by road), (20°18.913'N, 98°14.417'W), 2,200 m, Megadontomys nelsoni (Merriam) , 13.VIII.2004, F. Gonzalez­Cozatl, 1 female. Puebla: Cerro Chingnautla, 3 km W (by road) Chignautla (19° 48.662' N, 97° 24.592' W), 2,176 m, Peromyscus levipes Merriam , 16.VIII.2004, R.

Mercado­Vallejo, 6 males, 10 females.

Remarks—The genus is represented in the Nearctic Region by only two species ( S. americana and S. ponera Traub & Johnson ). The latter has been recorded in Mexico and the central southwest region of the United States (review by Hastriter, et. al., 2006); however, this is the first time that S. americana has been found in Mexico. Although this species is found commonly at low elevations in the eastern and plains states of the United States, southwest populations generally occur at intermediate elevations in montane environments above 2,000 m where sufficient moisture is available. Mexican specimens also appear to be found in similar montane habitats. As North American populations, they are found on peromyscine rodents. An explanation as to why the nearest recorded population is nearly 1,200 kilometers away (Big Ben National Park, Texas) may be a reflection of inadequate collection efforts throughout more northern regions of Mexico, especially at higher elevations.