Abstract: 【Aim】 To understand the characteristics of community structure and spatial distribution of ectoparasite fleas on rodents in residential areas in Yunnan province, southwestern China. 【Methods】 The systematic investigation on the fauna and community ecology of ectoparasite fleas on rodents were carried out in residential areas of 17 counties of Yunnan province, southwestern China with different longitude, latitude and elevation from May 2007 to November 2012. The characteristics of the spatial distribution of flea communities along environmental gradients were analyzed using community structure indexes. 【Results】 A total of 521 fleas were collected from the body surface of rodents from residential areas in the seventeen counties, and these fleas were classified into 12 species of 9 genera in 7 subfamilies of 4 families. The vertical and latitudinal distributions of fleas were similar in residential areas. The number of flea species was relatively less in the low latitude and altitude range, and Xenopsylla cheopis and Leptopsylla segnis were the dominant species of indoor parasitic fleas. However, in the high latitude and altitude region, although more species were found, the dominant species was not prominent. The horizontal distribution of flea species richness showed one peak along the longitudinal gradient, and the highest richness was observed at the longitude 99°-101°E. The indoor dominant species X. cheopis and L. segnis can be distributed in almost all longitudes, displaying a wide ecological amplitude feature. In addition, the richness and diversity spatial distribution patterns of fleas showed the similar trends of leaning peak curves, first gradually increasing and then decreasing with the increase of latitude and elevation. The geographical distribution of flea species diversity, however, showed gradually decreasing tendency from west to east in longitude distribution. 【Conclusion】 The spatial patterns of fleas communities in residential areas show unique geographic characteristics in Yunnan, and the characteristics are affected by different habitats of fleas which are influenced by a variety of factors such as climate, forest vegetation and human activities.

Key words: Flea communities, community structure, spatial distribution, residential area, species diversity, dominant species, rodents, Yunnan