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PubMed1993

Sex ratio and phoretic mites of fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae and Hystrichopsyllidae) on the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus) in Kenya.

The sex ratio of fleas and their phoretic mites associated with the Nile grass rat, Arvicanthis niloticus (Desmarest), were studied during 14 mo in a grassland community of Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Females of the fleas Dinopsyllus lypusus Jordan & Rothschild, Ctenophthalmus calceatus cabirus Jordan & Rothschild, and Xenopsylla cheopis bantorum Jordan infested more grass rats and in greater numbers than did males. Phoretic hypopi (hetermorphic deutonymphs) of two species of mites, Psylloglyphus uilenbergi Fain and Paraceroglyphus xenopsylla Fain & Schwan, varied seasonally in their abundance on fleas and utilized female fleas over male fleas for their major source of transport. Additionally, the mites were very host specific with nearly 100% of those identified on D. lypusus and C. calceatus cabirus being P. uilenbergi and 89% of the mites identified on X. cheopis bantorum being P. xenopsylla. This level of specificity suggests that these mite-flea associations are highly evolved. The importance of female fleas as hosts for transporting mites also suggests that female-biased sex ratios of fleas on their hosts may be caused, in part, by females being more important as dispersers within flea populations.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effect of Yersinia pestis infection on temperature preference and movement of the Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Previous laboratory studies have shown that inoculation of bacterial endotoxin into the hemocoel of some arthropods, or natural infection by a number of pathogens, causes them to seek out a higher ambient temperature. This phenomenon has been called behavioral fever. Yersinia pestis is an endotoxin-producing bacterium that relies on infection of fleas for transmission. Behavioral fever in fleas might enhance the transmission of plague if infected fleas were induced to seek out a warm-bodied host after the death of an infected host. Our study indicates that in thermal gradient Y. pestis infected Oriental rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) do not exhibit behavioral fever and in one experiment sought out a significantly lower temperature.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Fleas (Siphonaptera) infesting giant kangaroo rats (Dipodomys ingens) on the Elkhorn and Carrizo Plains, San Luis Obispo County, California.

The giant kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ingens (Merriam), has a limited distribution in the San Joaquin Valley, CA. Because of reductions in its geographic range, largely resulting from humans, the species was listed as an endangered species in 1980 by the California Fish and Game Commission. As part of a study of the community ecology of southern California endangered species, including D. ingens, we were able to make flea collections from the rats when they were trapped and marked for population studies. All but one of the fleas collected from the D. ingens in this study were Hoplopsyllus anomalus, a flea normally associated with ground squirrels (Sciuridae). It has been suggested that giant kangaroo rats fill the ground squirrel niche within their range. Our data indicate that this role includes a normal association with Hoplopsyllus anomalus.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Mode of action of pyriproxyfen and methoprene on eggs of Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Adult cat fleas were exposed to residues of pyriproxyfen and methoprene in glass vials, then fed on a cat 24 h later to investigate the mode of action of juvenoid growth regulators on embryonic development in flea eggs. Eggs laid by pyriproxyfen-treated fleas within 70 h after exposure to this juvenoid were often devoid of yolk and frequently collapsed after oviposition. Minimal amounts of yolk were deposited in eggs laid after 70 h, and no blastoderm was formed. These results are significant because both modes of action were different than those observed earlier by investigators studying ovicidal effects in adult insects treated with juvenile hormone. In contrast to the pyriproxyfen results, eggs laid by methoprene-treated fleas showed no gross morphological effects, and these eggs remained turgid during embryogenesis. However, the eggs either did not hatch or the larvae died within hours after hatching. Histological examination of the eggs revealed that most of the eggs contained segmented embryos which had apparently died during blastokinesis. Although eggs of some insects exposed to juvenile hormone during oogenesis fail to undergo germ band formation, there was no evidence of this effect in methoprene-treated cat fleas.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Mutation in the pla gene of Yersinia pestis alters the course of the plague bacillus-flea (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) interaction.

Yersinia pestis possesses a unique gene (pla) encoding coagulase and fibrinolysin which is implicated in the transmission of plague by fleas. This gene is encoded on the highly conserved but poorly characterized 'pesticin' plasmid pKYP1. The role of the pKYP1-encoded gene, pla, in plague transmission was addressed by feeding fleas on blood containing avirulent Y. pestis strain EV76-6 and three derivatives of this strain (K10-2, K10-3, and K10-5) carrying Tn801 insertions in pKYP1. One of these mutant strains, K10-5, contains an insertion within the pla gene that eliminates both coagulase and fibrinolysin activities, whereas strains K10-3 and K10-2 retain both pla-associated phenotypes. After feeding, it was found that flea mortality at 4 d after infection associated with strain K10-5 (26%) was significantly lower than the mortality observed with other strains (53-64%). These results suggest that expression of the pla gene product may contribute to the deleterious effects of plague bacilli on fleas that have been associated with flea blockage and plague transmission. This increased mortality is not caused simply by an increased bacterial load in fleas containing pla+ bacteria because fleas ingesting pla+ strains contained no more bacteria by flea blot hybridization analysis than did those that ingested the pla- strain K10-5. It is anticipated that further work in this area will clarify the mechanism by which pla acts and will reveal additional genetic loci in the plague bacillus which are required for transmission by fleas.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Development of a trap for collecting newly emerged Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in homes.

The visible light spectra most attractive to cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), were determined. A green-yellow filter with a transmittance spectrum centered at 515-nm and a 82.5-nm half-height width attracted significantly more fleas than any other filter or white light. This information and observations on this flea's behavior were used to design a trap with a green-yellow filter and a light source with a 10-min:5-s (on and off) cycle. This trap collected > 86% of the live fleas released into a carpeted room (3.1 by 3.3 m) during a 20-h test period, whereas each of three commercially available flea traps collected approximately 13% of the fleas. Fleas < 1 d after emergence were not as responsive to the traps as older fleas. During 20-h testing periods, this new trap caught > 57% of the fleas released 8.4 m from the trap.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Seasonal occurrence and reproductive status of Opisocrostis bruneri (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae), a flea on Franklin's ground squirrel, Spermophilus franklinii (Rodentia: Sciuridae) near Birds Hill Park, Manitoba.

Eight hundred and forty-nine and 1,503 Opisocrostis bruneri (Baker) were removed from Spermophilus franklinii (Sabine) in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Two discrete peaks in mean intensity of infestation were observed, one in early May and one in late August to early September. Overall prevalence of O. bruneri on S. franlinii was > or = 0.75. The observed biweekly prevalence on adult male and female squirrels was always > or = 0.73 and > or = 0.67, respectively. All juvenile squirrels were infested. Female fleas with undeveloped ovarioles, and with or without sperm in the spermatheca, were predominant during the first 6 wk that squirrels appeared above ground after hibernation. Parous females predominated thereafter. Peaks of nulliparous female fleas were observed in early May and early July. Female fleas were favored in each trapping period except during a 2-wk period from the beginning of May to the end of June. The mean biweekly sex ratio (male/female) of fleas removed from S. franklinii was 0.70 and 0.72 in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Oogenesis in O. bruneri was not dependent upon the estrous cycle of female S. franklinii. It appeared that O. bruneri completed at least two generations per year in Manitoba.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Siphonaptera of North America north of Mexico: Vermipsyllidae and Rhopalopsyllidae.

The six species of Chaetopsylla Kohaut, 1903, two species of Polygenis Jordan, 1939, and one species of Rhopalopsyllus Baker, 1905 known to occur in North America north of Mexico are reviewed with respect to their host preferences and distribution. Keys are provided for the species, and their salient characters are illustrated.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Adult cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) excretion of host blood proteins in relation to larval nutrition.

Protein content and ion composition of host blood and feces from blood-fed adult cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), were examined. Total fecal protein differed slightly from host blood indicating that there was little digestion of host blood by adult fleas. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels of host blood and flea feces also revealed little digestion, as evidenced by the quantitatively and qualitatively similar protein banding patterns. Blood and fecal ion compositions also were similar, except for fleas fed in vivo on cats, where both potassium and chloride compositions of feces were approximately 50% lower. Host blood or flea feces alone were not of sufficient food value to allow > 12.5% of larvae to develop to adults. The addition of yeast or dog chow increased larval development to the pupal stage to 100% and 87.5% of first instars tested, respectively. Although some larval survival occurred with diets of dog chow + yeast (37.5%), feces + hair (20%), and feces + stratum corneum (16.7%), the period to cocoon formation was twice as long as that of larvae fed diets containing blood or flea feces + yeast. In contrast to fleas, feces of adults of two other hematophagous insects--bed bugs, Cimex lectularius L., and mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti (L.)--contained significantly less protein and more digested protein than the blood that they had fed upon. We propose that host blood excretion evolved in response to larval nutritional requirements.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1994

Cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) cocoon formation and development of naked flea pupae.

The rate of cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), pupal development and the stimuli responsible for successful cocoon formation were investigated by rearing flea pupae without an enclosing cocoon. Female larvae pupated an average 12.1 h earlier than males, and female pupae developed to the adult stage an average 1.6 d earlier than males. When larvae were not allowed to orient against a perpendicular structure, only 2.2% of these larvae were able to spin an enclosing cocoon. Although these naked flea pupae had no enveloping cocoon, 96.5% survived to become adults. Gentle sifting of the larval medium 0-12 and 12-24 h after cocoons were formed resulted in 13.7 and 3.5% of the larvae emerging, respectively. Over 40% of those larvae did not spin a second cocoon, but developed as naked flea pupae.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Siphonaptera of North America north of Mexico: Ischnopsyllidae.

The four genera and 11 species of bat fleas known to occur in North America north of Mexico are reviewed with respect to their distribution and host preferences. All are found on hosts belonging to the bat family Vespertilionidae except Sternopsylla distincta (Rothschild, 1903) and Hormopsylla trux Jordan, 1950, which parasitize species of Molossidae. Keys are provided for the genera and species and their diagnostic characters are illustrated.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Interhost movement of adult cat fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Adult cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), marked with orange-red or green fluorescent dye were released on one cat to study movement to another cat over a 7-d period. When the cats were separated, 3-8% of the marked fleas moved to the other cat. When the cats were allowed to remain together, 2-15% of the fleas moved. The percentage of fleas unaccounted for ranged from 8-47%. When both cats lived together, 8-15% movement occurred no matter which cat was infested. The percentage of female and male fleas unaccounted for was 8-32 and 30-47%, respectively, highlighting the importance of host grooming. Significantly fewer female cat fleas moved from one host to another than did males. The likelihood of establishing new infestations by adult fleas transferring from one host to another exists. However, visitations to environments capable of supporting immature stages of fleas seem a more important source of flea infestations.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Techniques for estimating on-animal populations of Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Effectiveness of two sampling techniques to estimate cat flea populations were compared on beagles (short-haired dogs). Overall, 23.5 and 81.6% of known flea populations on the beagles were detected using area and comb counting techniques, respectively. Using comb counts, we were able to differentiate among beagles that were infested experimentally to produce densities of 21.6 (low), 42.2 (medium), and 82.5 (high) fleas per dog. Using the area counting technique, we were able to differentiate between the medium and high flea population groups, but not the low- and medium-density groups. A weighted regression analysis gave prediction intervals for flea densities that provided satisfactory estimates of the actual numbers of fleas on the dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Siphonaptera of North America north of Mexico: Hystrichopsyllidae s. str.

The three species of Atyphloceras Jordan & Rothschild, 1915 and the four species of Hystrichopsylla Taschenberg, 1880 known to occur in North America north of Mexico are reviewed with respect to their host preferences and distribution. Keys are provided for the species, and their diagnostic characters are illustrated.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Ultrastructure of the eggs of seven flea species (Siphonaptera).

Eggs of seven flea species representing five families, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché) (Pulicidae), Orchopeas leucopus (Baker) and Aetheca wagneri (Baker) (Ceratophyllidae), Conorhinopsylla stanfordi Stewart and Epitedia faceta (Rothschild) (Hystrichopsyllidae), Sternopsylla distincta texana (C. Fox) (Ischnopsyllidae), and Craneopsylla minerva (Rothschild) (Stephanocircidae), were examined with a scanning electron microscope and are described from the resulting micrographs. In the Pulicidae and Ceratophyllidae the individual outer chorionic cells are not visible; the egg surfaces are covered uniformly with small, nodular tubercles. In contrast, the Hystrichopsyllidae and Ischnopsyllidae have a prominent, raised reticulum, very heavily constructed in the latter, delineating the chorionic cells. The single representative of the Stephanocircidae has only a faintly embossed chorionic reticulum. All of the species examined except E. faceta and C. minerva (both with a single micropylar opening) have multiple micropyles at the posterior end. C. felis, O. leucopus, A. wagneri, and C. stanfordi also have multiple aeropyles at the anterior end (these are lacking in S. d. texana). Lateral aeropyles, consisting of small groups of pores often associated with small mounds in the chorion, are present (maximum of two seen on any one egg) in all species except E. faceta, C. stanfordi, and C. minerva.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

New species of flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) from Spain.

The male holotype and female allotype of Echidnophaga iberica Ribeiro, Lucientes, Osacar & Calvete, a new species of rabbit flea from the Zaragoza area, northeastern Spain, is described on the basis of examination of a type series of six males and 13 females. Similarities of the new species with other species of the genus Echidnophaga are discussed and a key to identification of the four known Mediterranean species of the genus is provided.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Larvicidal effects of boric acid and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate to cat fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Borate products varied in efficacy against larval cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis felis Bouché, with some effective at rates of 23 micrograms/cm2 when larvae were exposed to the compounds in sand. Powdered boric acid, granular boric acid, and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (Polybor) at rates of 200 micrograms/cm2 produced < or = 90% mortality of larvae exposed in carpet for 96 h. LC50 values of larvae exposed in treated carpets for 96 h were 23 micrograms/cm2 for powdered boric acid, 40 micrograms/cm2 for granular boric acid, and 47 micrograms/cm2 for polybor.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Survival and reproduction of the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) fed human blood on an artificial membrane system.

Adult cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), survive and reproduce when fed human blood through an artificial membrane system. When a dog hair substrate was included in cages with the fleas, mean adult mortality was 2.4 after 12 d of bloodfeeding. Egg production began after 3 d and was continuous for 12 d, ranging from 3 to 4 eggs per female per day. In cages without hair, mean adult mortality was 61.2% after 12 d of bloodfeeding. Egg production began after 2 d, reached a maximum of two eggs per female per day after 7 d, and decreased thereafter. No significant differences in egg hatch were seen in treatment groups sampled from 5 to 7 d after the onset of bloodfeeding. After 7 d, however, egg hatch for fleas maintained in cages without hair was significantly lower than in cages where fleas were maintained on dog hair. Adult emergence from these larvae did not differ significantly between the two groups. Egg hatch and adult emergence in both groups of fleas fed on human blood did not differ significantly from egg hatch and adult emergence in fleas fed on colony cats.

Animals↗