The Australian giant fleas Macropsylla Rothschild, 1905 (Siphonaptera: Macropsyllidae: Macropsyllinae), their identification, evolution, ecology, and conservation biology

Macropsylla Rothschild, 1905 is an endemic Australian flea genus represented by two species: M. hercules Rothschild, 1905 and M. novaehollandiae Hastriter, 2002. However, their identification is challenging. To address this difficulty, an extensive differential diagnosis for the two species is provided along with a key to distinguish Macropsylla from other Australian flea genera. The first record of M. hercules from the domestic cat ( Felis catus (L.)) is also presented. The taxonomy, distribution, host relationships, evolution, and ecology of the Macropsylla species are discussed, along with the conservation biology of the threatened New Holland flea M. novaehollandiae .