Ctenophthalmus baeticus boisseauorum and Ctenophthalmus apertus allani (Siphonaptera: Ctenophthalmidae) are sinonymous. Ctenophthalmus baeticus boisseauorum and Ctenophthalmus apertus allani (Siphonaptera: Ctenophthalmidae) are the same species

Morphological identification of fleas is essentially based on the shape and structure of their complex genitalia and the distribution of setae, spines and ctenidia. Despite of using these morphological structures as useful taxonomical tools, there are many cases where the specific identification of females can be more complicated, especially when they are isolated without males to compare each other. This is the case of Ctenophthalmus (Ctenophthalmidae family) genus whose males are easily distinguishable basing on the size, shape and chaetotaxy of their genitalia; however, females show slight morphological differences each other. as a junior synonym of N. fasciatus.Based on these precedents, the main objective of this work was to carry out a comparative morphometric, phylogenetic and molecular study of two different species belonging to Ctenophthalmus genus: Ctenophthalmus baeticus boisseauorum and Ctenophthalmus apertus allani in order to clarify and discuss about the taxonomic status of these two species and Ctenophthalmus genus. Accordingly, internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1 and ITS2 of rDNA and the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and cytochrome b (cytb) mtDNA genes were sequenced.