This is a PPT presentation that cover the general description, morphology, characteristics, and feeding habits of Order Siphonaptera. This presentation includes the first three classifications.

1. SIPHONAPTERA
Report by: Veronica Baje

2. Objectives
1. Define Order Siphonaptera and its classification
2. Know the general characteristics and morphology
of the flea
3. Discuss Tunga penetrans, its characteristics,
morphology, life cycle, reproduction, and feeding
habit.
4. Learn the characteristics, morphology,
reproduction, and feeding habits of Pulex irritans
and Xenopsylla cheopis

3. Order Siphonaptera
• Etymology: Greek words “siphon” which
means tube or pipe and ‘’aptera” which
means wingless.
• They are laterally compressed wingless
holometabolous insects.
• Contains approximately 2572 species in
which all are parasitic in the adult stage.
• Possess mouthparts modified for piercing
and sucking, highly modified combs and
setae on their body and legs, and legs that
are modified for jumping.
• Some species are vectors of disease.
• Fleas are holometabolous.

4. General
Morphology of
the Flea
• Adult fleas are on average 2.0
to 6.0 mm in length and have
laterally compressed bodies.
• They possess antennae,
sucking mouthparts, and
(usually) eyes.
• All fleas lack wings and have
modified hind legs for
jumping .
• Their lateral flatness and
glossy surface facilitate
moving among thick fur

5. General Morphology
of the Flea
• The females are larger
than males of the same
species.
• Both the dorsal and
ventral outline of the
female are convex, while
the dorsal surface of males
is almost straight.
• Body is covered with
backwards directed setae.

6. Classification of
Siphonaptera
• Genus: Tunga
• Specie: T. penetrans
• Genus: Pulex
• Specie: P. irritans (Human Flea)
• Genus: Xenopsylla
• Specie: X. cheopnis (Rat Flea)
• Genus: Ctenocephalides
• Specie: C. canis (Dog Flea) & C. fecalis (Cat
Flea)

7. Tunga penetrans

8. T. penetrans
• T. penetrans or chigoe flea/jigger is a
parasitic insect found in areas with
tropical and sub-tropical climates.
• It is native to Central and South
America, and has been inadvertently
introduced by humans to sub-Saharan
Africa.
• A parasitical infestation of T.
penetrans is called tungiasis.

9. Characteristics of T.
penetrans
• The chigger is a minute arachnid.
• Mites penetrate the skin and feed on skin
cells that are broken down through an
enzyme they secrete from their
mouthparts, but they will then leave the
host.
• The adult and the larval forms both feed
on other animals. This is not the case
with T. penetrans, as only the adults feed
on mammals, and the mature female
remains in the host for the rest of her life.

10. Morphology
of
T.penetrans

11. Life Cycle of T.penetrans
1. The larva will hatch from the egg within one
to six days, assuming the environmental
conditions are favorable.
2. After hatching, the flea will progress through
two instar phases.
3. About six to eight days after hatching, the
larva pupates and builds a cocoon around
itself.
4. An adult flea will emerge from the puparium
after 9–15 days.
5. Males are still mobile after a blood meal like
other fleas, but the female flea burrows
head-first into the host's skin, leaving the
caudal tip of its abdomen visible through an
orifice in a skin lesion. orifice in a
skin lesion.

12. Reproduction
• The male and female T. penetrans does not show
interest in the wild.
• Reproduction only happens once the female is
burrowed into the skin of its host.
• The male flea dies after copulation.
• In the next two weeks after mating, the female will
releases several hundreds to thousands of eggs in
through the caudal orifice.
• These eggs fall off the ground when they are ready to
hatch.
• The female flea then dies and causes infection to the
host as the body rots under the thick scales it created
to protect it.

13. Feeding Habit
• The larvae feed on organic debris
in the environment 3-4 days after
hatching.
• Adults seek out warm-blooded
host for blood meals.
• Both male and females feed
intermittently on their host.

14. Pulex irritans

15. P. irritans
• P. irritans are found all over the world except the
Arctic region.
• The species may have originated from Central or
South America.
• They thrive in temperate climates
• P. irritans has three pairs of legs used for walking and
running. It also allows them to jump in order to
escape or to get onto a host.
• They are usually found in small colonies or groups.
• They will move onto the host to feed but are primarily
found around the host’s immediate habitat.

16. Characteristics
of P. irritans
• An adult P. irritans is reddish-brown in
color.
• Females are 2.5 to 3.5 mm long while
males are 2 to 2.5 mm long.
• The body is laterally compressed and
wingless.
• The abdomen and thorax are larger
than the head.
• The head is very short and house a
small pair of antennae.
• They have three pair of legs in which
each has five segments.
• Their eggs are oval an white in color.

17. Morphology

18. Reproduction
• Currently there are no known mating
rituals, mate selection or mate defenses
exhibited by Pulex irritans.
• Like most fleas, Pulex irritans mate
opportunistically and are polygynandrous.
• When two fleas see each other, a male will
use his maxillary palps to determine if he
has encountered a female.

19. Feeding Habit
• Adult P. irritans require blood
meals in order to produce
offspring.
• They will feed on most any
mammal (including humans), but
they most commonly
parasitize domestic
dogs and domestic pigs.
• Larvae feed on various organic
matter found within their habitat,
including feces from the adult fleas
as it contains undigested blood.

20. Xenopsylla cheopis

21. X. cheopis
• Xenopsylla cheopis usually inhabits
tropical and subtropical habitats,
although it has been reported in the
temperate zone as well.
• Rarely found in cold areas since it
requires a tropical/subtropical
climate to pupate.
• Fleas are nidiculous parasites; they
live in the host's nest.

22. Characteristics of X. cheopis
• Adults are 1.5 to 4 mm
long and are laterally
compressed
• Its body is about 2.5 mm
• The body is consists of
three regions: head,
thorax, and abdomen
• The head thorax have rows
of bristles called combs
• The flea is wingless but
can jump long distances
with the help of its legs.

23. Morphology

24. Reproduction
• No information is available on the mating systems of
these fleas.
• After copulating with a male the female is ready to lay
her eggs. She does this at frequent intervals while
feeding.
• They prefer temperatures of 65 to 80°F with about
70% humidity for egg laying.
• Higher or lower temperatures inhibit females from
laying their eggs.
• Eggs usually do not hatch on the hosts, rather on
their nests since fleas are nidiculous parasites.

25. Feeding Habit
• Adults of both sexes
of Xenopsylla cheopis feed
on blood.
• They bite Rattus
rattus (Black Rat) and
other mammals, including
humans.
• Xenopsylla cheopis obtains
the host's blood through a
set of external mouthparts,
which consist of the
following maxillary lacunae
and an epipharynx.