A taxonomic review of the North American genus Orcopeas Jordan, 1933 (Siphonaptera : Ceratophyllidae : Ceratophyllinae)

The 20 named taxa assigned to the North American flea genus Orchopeas Jorda n, 1933 are reviewed. Four of these are treated as junior synonyms and the fifth as a nomen dubium. These are: Orchopeas sexdentatus firemani Hubbard, 1955 = Orchopeas schisintus (Jordan, 1929); Orchopeas schisintus nevadensi s (Jordan, 1929) = Orchopeas schisintus agilis (Rothschild, 1905); Orchopea s howardi bolivari Barrera, 1955 = Orchopeas howardi (Baker, 1895); Orchope as howardi texensis Eads, 1950 = Orchopeas fulleri Traub, 1950 and Orchopea s labiatus (nomen dubium). Six taxa originally assigned as subspecies of Or chopeas sexdentatus are elevated to the rank of full species and distributi on and host preferences of all 15 species are discussed. Illustrations of t he diagnostic features of all the species are provided.