Stephanocircus domrowi explained

Stephanocircus domrowi, the goblin flea, is a critically endangered insect endemic to the Australian state of Victoria.^[1] It is host specific, and lives only with the co-endangered Leadbeater's possum.^[2] Although it has been suggested as a good candidate species for conservation, there is presently no work directed towards its conservation.^[3] The key threat factor driving the decline of the Leadbeater's possum, and by extension the co-endangered goblin flea, is logging in the mountain ash forests of the Victorian central highlands.^[4] To avoid extinction, a number of conservation steps will need to be taken including amalgamating the goblin flea into the captive breeding program for its host at Healesville Sanctuary.^[5]

See also

• Conservation-induced extinction

Notes and References

1. Kwak, M.L., 2018. Australia’s vanishing fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera): a case study in methods for the assessment and conservation of threatened flea species. Journal of Insect Conservation, pp.1-6.
2. Dunnet, G.M. and Mardon, D.K., 1974. A monograph of Australian fleas (Siphonaptera). Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series, 22(30), pp.1-273.
3. Kwak, M.L., 2018. Australia’s vanishing fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera): a case study in methods for the assessment and conservation of threatened flea species. Journal of Insect Conservation, pp.1-6.
4. Lindenmayer, D.B., Blair, D., McBurney, L. and Banks, S.C., 2016. Ignoring the science in failing to conserve a faunal icon–major political, policy and management problems in preventing the extinction of Leadbeater’s possum. Pacific Conservation Biology, 21(4), pp.257-265.
5. Kwak, M.L., 2018. Australia’s vanishing fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera): a case study in methods for the assessment and conservation of threatened flea species. Journal of Insect Conservation, pp.1-6.