Comparison of Flea (Siphonaptera) Burdens on the Endangered San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica (Carnivora, Canidae)) Inhabiting Urban and Nonurban Environments in Central Valley, California.

The San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica Merriam (Carnivora, Canidae)) is an endangered small carnivore endemic to the San Joaquin Valley of California. Commercial and agricultural land expansion has contributed to the species' decline and invasion of more cosmopolitan species, providing means for potential ecological shifts in disease vector and host species. Fleas are common ectoparasites that can serve as important indicators of cross-species interactions and disease risk.