Palaearctic Flea Species of the Genus Xenopsylla (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) Parasitic on Gerbils (Rhombomys, Meriones) and Their Role in Natural Plague Foci

Abstract

The taxonomic diversity, distribution patterns, and host-parasite relationships of fleas of the genus Xenopsylla (Pulicidae) are analyzed. Six species and two subspecies of Xenopsylla, associated with gerbils in the territory of Russia and adjacent countries, are known as the main, accessory, or occasional vectors of the plague pathogen.