Interactions Among Symbionts of Oropsylla spp. (Siphonoptera: Ceratophyllidae)

Ryan T. Jones
Scott A. Bernhardt, Utah State University
Andrew P. Martin
Kenneth L. Gage

Abstract

We used high-throughput DNA sequencing to explore bacterial communities of three species of Oropysllafleas [Oropsylla hirsuta (Baker), Oropsylla montana (Baker), and Oropsylla tuberculata cynomuris(Jellison)] and detected seven bacterial lineages related to known insect symbionts. No significant co-occurrence patterns were detected among bacterial lineages, but relative abundance data suggest that the two most common lineages (Bartonella and Rickettsiales) interact negatively. Furthermore, presence of these two lineages significantly reduced bacterial diversity within fleas.