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Questions and Answers
What is the primary diet of Cimex lectularius?
Which physical characteristic is unique to adult bedbugs?
How long does it typically take for a bedbug to reach adulthood after hatching?
What is one of the notable defenses adult bedbugs possess?
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What is the primary function of the mouthparts of species in this order?
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What is the primary mode of locomotion for fleas, as indicated by their anatomical features?
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Which of the following statements is true regarding the legs of sucking lice?
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Which species is known as the sucking louse of equines?
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What is a significant characteristic of the life cycle of hog lice?
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Where do hog lice preferentially congregate on their hosts?
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Which flea species is primarily associated with humans but may also occur on pigs, dogs, and cats?
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What is the typical lifespan of a female flea in terms of egg production?
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What color are flea larvae, and what is their behavior regarding light?
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Which flea is known to carry the bacterium Yersinia pestis, responsible for bubonic plague?
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What are the two types of reactions most commonly associated with flea infestations in animals?
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What treatment is commonly mentioned for reducing pruritus caused by flea infestations?
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Where are flea larvae commonly found in a household environment?
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How long can the pupal stage of fleas last under average conditions?
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Study Notes
Sucking Lice
- Wingless insects, ectoparasites on mammals
- Mouthparts adapted for sucking tissue fluids and blood
- Two antennae with five segments
- No sexual dimorphism
- Thorax small, three segments fused
- Abdomen relatively large, seven segments visible
- Paratergal plates: dark brown or black thickened chitin at the sides of the abdomen
- Eyes reduced or absent
- First pair of legs usually smaller with weaker claws
- Third pair of legs usually the largest
- Each tarsus has only one claw
- Tibial pad: A spiny pad that helps to hold the louse in the hair
Common Examples of Sucking Lice
- Haematopinus asini: Sucking louse of equines
- H. bufali: Sucking louse of buffalo in Africa
- H. suis: Large louse of pigs
- H. eurysternus: 'Short-nosed' cattle louse
Bed Bugs
- Cimex lectularius
- Attacks humans and animals to suck blood
- 4-5 mm long, flat-bodied, elongate oval shape
- Yellowish brown to dark brown in color
- Head bears long antennae with four joints
- Eyes project at the side of the head
- Wings are vestigial
- Abdomen has eight visible segments
- Whole body is covered with spinose bristles and some hairs
- Tibiae are long and tarsi have three joints
- Adults have a pair of ventral thoracic stink glands
- Mouthparts are modified for piercing and sucking
- Labrum is small and immovable
Bed Bug Life Cycle
- Females lay about 150-200 eggs in dark crevices
- Larvae hatch after 3-14 days at 23 degrees C or longer
- There are five nymphal stages
- Adult stage is reached in 8-13 weeks after hatching
- Bugs can live long and survive starvation
- They are nocturnal insects but will bite in the daytime
- After a blood meal, bugs defecate and turn around near the wound
Bed Bug Control
- Chlordane
- Dieldrin
- DDT
- Organophosphates
- Oil-based sprays with pyrethrins
Fleas
- Wingless insects with laterally compressed bodies, 1.5-4 mm long
- Chitinous covering is thick and brown
- Compound eyes are absent, some species have large or small simple eyes
- Abdomen has ten segments
- Ninth abdominal segment bears a dorsal plate called sensilium or pygidium
- Penis (aedeagus) is chitinous and coiled
- Legs are long, strong and adapted for leaping
- Combs or ctenidia: Large spines on the head and thorax
Common Flea Species
- Ctenocephalides felis: Cat, dog, man, mouse, rat and primates (cosmopolitan)
- Ctenocephalides canis: Restricted to dogs and related species (cosmopolitan)
- Archaeopsylla erinacei: Hedgehogs in Europe and North America. Found also in dogs and cats
- Spilopsyllus cuniculi: Restricted to rabbit and hare
- Leptopsylla segnis: Occurs on the house mouse, rat, field mouse, wild rodents
- Ceratophyllus fascialtus: Common rat flea
- Xenopsylla cheopis: Oriental or black rat flea
- Pulex irritans: Human flea may occur on pig, dog, cat, and rat
- Tunga penetrans: Man, pig, and baboon
- Ceratophyllus gallinae: Common flea of chicken
- Ceratophyllus columbae: Domestic pigeon
- Echidnophaga gallinacea: Common chicken flea in tropical and subtropical areas
Flea Life Cycle
- Female flea lays up to 20 eggs at a time and some 400-500 during her lifetime
- Oval eggs are deposited in dust or dirt, laid on the host, soon drop off
- 0.5 mm long, rounded at the poles and pearly white in color
- Larvae may hatch in 2-16 days
- Larvae are elongate, slender, maggot-like, consisting of 3-10 abdominal segments with long hairs
- Last segment bears hooked processes called anal struts for holding and locomotion
Flea Larval Stage
- Larvae are creamy yellow in color, very active, and hide from light
- With masticatory mouthparts, they feed on dry blood, feces, and other organic matter
- They are found in crevices in floors, carpets, nest litter, sleeping places
- Larval development takes 7-10 days or longer
- Pupal stage lasts 10-17 days under average condition, may last several months
Flea Health Effects
- Mostly found in animals with poor condition, debilitating disease, and old animals.
- Animals are restless, lose weight, and spoil coats by biting and scratching.
- At the site of infection, elevated levels of immunoglobulin E and eosinophilia.
- Severe pruritic reactions at the lumbar-sacral area, abdomen, inside hind legs, and neck.
- Hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratinization.
- 'Miliary dermatitis', flea hypersensitivity in cats associated with small papules and pruritus.
- Important in transmitting diseases.
- Bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis) carried by Xenopsylla cheopis.
- Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) transmitted by rat flea.
Flea Control
- Flea collar with dichlorvos
- Coumaphos (Asuntol)
- Corticosteroids to reduce pruritus
- Premises should be clean with insecticides.
- Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
- Diazinon or malathion
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Description
Test your knowledge on sucking lice and bed bugs with this quiz. Learn about their characteristics, examples, and adaptations for survival. Perfect for biology students focusing on ectoparasites.
