Fleas are small, wingless insects that feed exclusively on the blood of mammals and birds. They belong to the order Siphonaptera. Fleas have mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. The flea life cycle consists of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult stages. There are several medically important flea species that can be distinguished based on the presence and structure of combs on their heads and thoraxes.

1. fleas classification
Dr/ Walaa Samir Ahmed Nasser
Rodents research department
Research institute of medical entomology

2.  Fleas are the insects forming the order Siphonaptera.
 They are wingless,
 Having mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood.
 Fleas are external parasites , living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds.
 Scanning electron microscope
(SEM) picture of a flea

3. Scientific Classification :
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota
Order: Siphonaptera

4. BODY PARTS :

5. Life Cycle :
1) Eggs
2) Larvae
3) Pupae
4) Adult

6. Micrograph of a Flea larva :

7. Classification of medically
important fleas:

8. Combed fleas
1- ceratophyllus (Nosopsyllus) fasciatus
{ Northern rat flea }
Only pronotal comb ( 1 row of spines at posterior margin
of the 1st thoracic segment ) .
pc

9. 2- Ctenocephalides ( dog and cat flea)
2 combs: pronotal comb & genal comb on lower part of head.
 Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis)
Genal spines are equal .
 Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis)
1st genal spine is short.
GC

10. 3- Leptopsyllus ( leptopsylla)
{European mouse flea}
4 teeth in genal comb
No eye spot
Affect mice,rats,rarely man.

11. Non combed fleas
Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis)
Occular hair : in front of the eye .
Post-occipital hairs : 1 row .

12. Human flea (pulex irritans )
Occular hair : below of the eye.
Post-occipital hairs : 1 hair only.

13. Thank you