Fleas Flashcards
Define ectoparasites
Spend some or all of their lives parasitising animals and usually live on or burrow into the surface of host’s skin
Define parasitoids
Parasites that will eventually kill the host
What are the 3 body parts of insects?
- Head
- Abdomen
- Thorax
Describe the anatomy of fleas
- Cones on legs (hairs that point backwards)
- Large hind legs for jumping
- Are Siphonaptera: suck through tube and have no wings
- Coiled internalised penis, ejected for copulation
- Sensilium detects CO2 levels, directing flea to food source
- Laterally flattened
Describe the structure of exoskeleton
- Aka cuticle
- Made of chitin
- Site of muscle attachment
- Limits absolute size and size of each growing stage
How does growth occur in fleas?
- Only through moulting
- Exoskeleton limits size of each stage
What are the layers of the exoskeleton?
- Exocuticle
- Endocuticle
- Epidermis
How is O2 transported around the body?
Dissolved in haemolymph
Describe the respiratory apparatus of insects
- Spiracles in exoskeleton are breathing holes
- Often covered by hairs and oil
- Oil stops water going in and drowing insect
Describe the digestive system of insects
- Tube with lots of absorption
- Major route of infectious agent transmission (mouth or back end)
- Most blood suckers eject substances while feeding e.g. anticoagulants
What are the 2 types of life cycle?
- Hemimetabola
- Holometabola
Define hemimetabola
- Partial metamorphism
- Nymphal stage instead of larval stage (i.e. small adults)
Define holometabola
- Full metamorphism
- Egg, larval, pupak and adult stages
- All look different
What is the main feature of orthoptera?
Straight wings
What is the main feature of diptera?
2 wings
What is the main feature of siphonaptera?
Tube no wings