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Fleas Flashcards

1
Q

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

A

Animalia

Arthropoda

Insecta

Siphonaptera

Pulicidae

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2
Q

Wings

A

None

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3
Q

Legs

A

3 Pairs

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4
Q

Body shape

A

Laterally compressed

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5
Q

Exoskeleton

A

Heavily chitinised, hard to crush

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6
Q

What’s special about the legs of a flea?

A

Adapted for jumping with large coxae and strong claws

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7
Q

What’s unique about the third pair of legs?

A

Longer than anterior pairs

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8
Q

Divisions

A

Head, thorax, abdomen

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9
Q

How many segments does the abdomen have?

A

10

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10
Q

What is found on the 9th segment of the abdomen?

A

Sensillium or special sensory organ

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11
Q

What distinguishes the Echidnophaga genus?

A

Very short thoracic segments

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12
Q

What distinguishes the Ctenocephalides genus?

A

Presence of both genal and pronotal combs

Horizontal genal comb

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13
Q

What distinguishes the Pulex genus?

A

Absence of both genal and pronotal combs

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14
Q

What distinguishes the Spilosyllus genus?

A

Vertical genal comb

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15
Q
A

A: Genal comb

B: Pronotal comb

C: Antenna

D: Mouthparts

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16
Q
A

A: Antenna

B: Eye

C: Palps

D: Feeding tube

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17
Q

Another word for comb

A

Ctenidium

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18
Q

What are larvae recognised by?

A

Anal struts

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19
Q

Where is most of the flea’s life cycle spent?

A

Away from the host

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20
Q

Where are eggs laid?

A

Eggs are laid on the host and fall to the ground.

Or may be laid in dust and dirt.

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21
Q

How many eggs can a female lay at a time?

A

5-20

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22
Q

How many eggs can a female lay in a lifetime?

A

400-500

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23
Q

How many larval stages are there?

A

3

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24
Q

What do larvae feed on?

A

Detritus in soil, sand or in carpets

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25
What follows the larval stages?
Pupal stages
26
How long is the entire life cycle?
3 weeks to months depending on temperature and humidity
27
How long can fleas live away from the host?
Months, particularly if humidity is high
28
What can stimulate pupae of some species to hatch?
Vibration
29
Larval stages of one species develop subcutaneously. In what type of animal is this species found?
Dasyurid marsupials eg. Tasmanian devil
30
In a flea population what percentage can be found on the host and the environment?
5% on the host, 95% on the environment
31
What kind of parasites are fleas?
Obligate parasites that can remain on host (permanent) or spend time away from host (intermittent)
32
How host specific are fleas?
Generally not host specific
33
Which species is an exception to the host specificity rule?
Spilopsyllus cuniculi on rabbits
34
How do fleas feed?
All are blood suckers, capillary feeders.
35
What does the saliva contain to facilitate feeding?
Anticoagulant
36
What is blood needed for?
Reproduction - maturation of ovaries
37
What is the pathogenesis of fleas?
* blood loss * irritation * hypersensitivity to their bites * *causes flea bite dermatitis, summer dermatiti*s * intermediate hosts for cestodes and nematodes * some species carry bubonic plague * *Yersinia pestis from rodent to man*
38
Two species of Ctenocephalides genus
Ctenocephalide Canis Ctenocephalide Felis
39
On what hosts do C.felis and C.canis occur?
Cats and dogs and a wide range of other hosts
40
Which of the species out of C. felis and C. canis is by far the more common?
C. felis
41
When is a Ctenocephalide flea problem most prominent and why?
Summer, life cycle stages in environment dependent on temperature for development
42
Effect of Ctenocephalide fleas on man
Papular dermatitis
43
Effect of Ctenocephalide fleas in dogs and cats
* Flea bite dermatitis * Dog = summer dermatitis * Cats = Miliary eczema
44
What occurs in flea bite dermatitis?
1. Initial infestations sensitise animals 2. Subsequent infestations cause Type 1 hypersensitivity reaction, incessant scratching and loss of hair at base of tail, inner and posterior thighs 3. Saliva contains incomplete antigen which combines with dermal collagen to form a complete antigen
45
When is flea bite dermatitis mainly seen in dogs?
5 months - 5 years of age
46
A = C. Canis B = C. Felis
47
Identifying C. Canis
Head length less than twice height (rounder head) Spine 1 of genal comb shorter than spine 2
48
Identifying C. Felis
Head length twice height (elongated head) Spine 1 of genal comb equal to spine 2
49
Echidnophaga gallinacea
50
Echidnophaga gallinacea
51
Another name for Echidnophaga fleas
Stick-fast fleas
52
What is the scientific name for the poultry stick-fast flea?
Echidnophaga gallinacea
53
Where are E. gallinacea common?
Hot dry areas, common in western NSW and the Victorian mallee
54
Where do E. gallinacea lay their eggs?
Flea burrows into the skin causing swellings that ulcerate and in which the flea lays its eggs.
55
On what hosts do E. gallinacea occur?
Wide range of hosts other than poultry Principle flea found on dogs and cats in Darwin
56
Why are Echidnophaga fleas called stick-fast fleas?
Stay attached at single site
57
On what animals do other species of Echidnophaga fleas occur on?
Native mammals
58
Pulex irritans
59
Pulex irritans
Human flea
60
Pathogenesis of Pulex irritans
Vector of typhus
61
Hosts of pulex irritans
Dogs, Humans, pigs
62
How common is Pulex irritans
Uncommon on man in Australia but 'plagues' can occur in piggeries and poultry farms
63
Spilopsyllus cunniculi
64
Spilopsyllus cunniculi
Introduced European rabbit flea
65
Why was the Spilopsyllius cunniculus introduced into Australia?
To facilitate transmission of myxomatosis
66
Hosts
Rabbits Also found occasionally on cats which have contact with wild rabbits (but generally won't bite cats)
67
What is unique about Spilopsyllius cunniculus?
Host specific flea
68
How is the breeding in S. cunniculus females initiated?
Ingestion of hormones in the blood of pregnant rabbits

Parasitology (2 decks)

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