Flea

:For other meanings of 'flea', including Michael Balzary, a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, see flea (disambiguation)

Related Topics:
Michael Balzary - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Flea (disambiguation)

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Tungidae - Sticktight and Chigoe fleas (Chiggers)

Related Topics:
Tungidae - Chigoe flea

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Pulicidae - Common fleas

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Coptopsyllidae

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Vermipsyllidae - Carnivore fleas

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Rhopalopsyllidae - Marsupial fleas

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Hypsophthalmidae

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Stephanocircidae

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Pygiopsyllidae

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Hystrichopsyllidae - Rat and mouse fleas

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Leptopsyllidae - Bird and rabbit fleas

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Ischnopsyllidae - Bat fleas

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Ceratophyllidae

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Amphipsyllidae

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Malacopsyllidae

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Dolichopsyllidae - Rodent fleas

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Ctenopsyllidae

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Flea is the common name for any of the small wingless insects of the order Siphonaptera. Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds.

Related Topics:
Common name - Insect - Order - Parasite - Hematophagy - Blood - Mammal - Bird

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Note: There is also a genus of Protozoa named Siphonaptera

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Some well known flea species include:

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• Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides felis),
• Dog Flea (Ctenocephalides canis),
• Northern Rat Flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus),
• Oriental Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis).

In most cases fleas are just a nuisance to their hosts, but some people and some animals suffer allergic reactions to flea saliva resulting in rashes. Flea bites generally result in the formation of a slightly-raised swollen itching spot with a single puncture point at the center.

Related Topics:
Allergic reaction - Saliva - Rash

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However, fleas can transmit disease. One devastating example of this was the bubonic plague, transmitted between rodents and humans. Murine typhus (endemic typhus) fever, and in some cases tapeworms can also be

Related Topics:
Disease - Bubonic plague - Tapeworm

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transmitted by fleas.

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Flea: Life Cycle ►