CHAPTER 9 – Fleas (Siphonaptera)
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1) All fleas are included in which insect order?
A. Phthiraptera
B. Anoplura
C. Hemiptera
D. Siphonaptera
E. Blattaria
2) What is the Latin name for the cat flea?
A. Echidnophaga gallinacea
B. Ctenocephalides canis
C. Pediculus humanus capitis
D. Ctenocephalides felis
E. Xenopsylla cheopis
3) What is the Latin name for the tropical rat flea?
A. Echidnophaga gallinacea
B. Ctenocephalides canis
C. Pediculus humanus capitis
D. Ctenocephalides felis
E. Xenopsylla cheopis
4) As a group, fleas parasitize which of these host groups?
A. Only birds
B. Birds and mammals
C. Only mammals
D. Reptiles
E. Amphibians
5) Which of these mammals are the main reservoirs of urban plague?
A. Prairie dogs
B. Peridomestic rats
C. Rock squirrels
D. Dogs
E. Chipmunks
6) What are the developmental (life cycle) stages of all fleas?
A. Egg, larva, pupa, adult
B. Egg, nymph, pupa, adult
C. Egg, nymph, adult
D. Egg, larva, adult
E. Egg, larva, nymph, adult
7) Which anatomical structure becomes clogged in a blocked flea?
A. Malpighian tubule
B. Salivary gland
C. Hindgut
D. Epipharynx
E. Proventriculus
8) What is thought to be the function of the ctenidia in fleas that have these structures?
A. To prevent host grooming
B. To attract members of the opposite sex
C. To lock into host fur or feathers OR to protect flexible joints
D. To manipulate and guide eggs as they are laid by the female
E. To regulate water balance
9) Which of these species of fleas has become a major pest that will feed on cats, dogs,
humans and some other mammals?
A. Vermipsylla alakurt
B. Ceratophyllus niger
C. Ceratophyllus gallinae
D. Ctenocephalides felis
E. Cediopsylla simplex
10) What is a solenophage?
A. A very large flea
B. A blood-feeding arthropod that feeds directly from host blood vessels
C. A blood-feeding arthropod that anchors itself permanently to the skin surface
D. A very small flea
E. A flea that does not feed in the larval stage(s)
11) Which of these organisms causes plague?
A. Bartonella henselae
B. Borrelia recurrentis
C. Rickettsia typhi
D. Yersinia pestis
E. Streptococcus pyogenes
12) Which of these organisms causes murine typhus (also called endemic or flea-borne
typhus)?
A. Bartonella henselae
B. Borrelia recurrentis
C. Rickettsia typhi
D. Yersinia pestis
E. Streptococcus pyogenes
13) Which of these organisms causes cat scratch disease?
A. Bartonella henselae
B. Borrelia recurrentis
C. Rickettsia typhi
D. Yersinia pestis
E. Streptococcus pyogenes
14) Which of these pathogens is typically transmitted via flea feces (posterior station
transmission)?
A. Rickettsia rickettsii
B. Borrelia recurrentis
C. Rickettsia typhi
D. Yersinia pestis
E. Streptococcus pyogenes
15) Which of these pathogens is typically transmitted through flea mouthparts (anterior
station transmission)?
A. Rickettsia rickettsii
B. Borrelia recurrentis
C. Rickettsia typhi
D. Yersinia pestis
E. Streptococcus pyogenes
16) Which of these fleas is associated with chickens?
A. Tunga penetrans
B. Vermipsylla alakurt
C. Ceratophyllus gallinae
D. Cediopsylla simplex
E. Ctenocephalides canis
17) Which of these flea species is the principal vector of the agent that causes urban
plague?
A. Echidnophaga gallinacea
B. Ctenocephalides canis
C. Ceratophyllus gallinae
D. Ctenocephalides felis
E. Xenopsylla cheopis
18) Which of these mammals are the main reservoirs of sylvatic plague in western North
America?
A. Rock squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks and prairie dogs
B. Flying squirrels
C. Dogs and cats
D. Carnivores
E. Shrews
19) How many plague pandemics have been recorded throughout human history?
A. More than 100
B. 3
C. 1
D. 27
E. 4
20) What are the 3 recognized main clinical forms of plague?
A. Dermal, Septicemic and Cardiac
B. Bubonic, Septicemic and Subcellular
C. Dermal, Bubonic and Pneumonic
D. Bubonic, Septicemic and Pneumonic
E. Septicemic, Cardiac and Pneumonic
21) What is flea dirt?
A. The substrate in which a flea larva spins its cocoon
B. Small particles adhering to the outer surface of a flea
C. Feces of adult fleas often seen in pet fur or bedding
D. The habitat occupied by a flea lava
E. Dirty pet fur occupied by fleas
22) Which of these fleas is the chigoe ( also called the jigger or sand flea)?
A. Tunga penetrans
B. Vermipsylla alakurt
C. Ceratophyllus gallinae
D. Cediopsylla simplex
E. Ctenocephalides canis
23) Which of these fleas is the human flea?
A. Echidnophaga gallinacea
B. Ctenocephalides canis
C. Pulex irritans
D. Ctenocephalides felis
E. Xenopsylla cheopis
24) Which of these fleas can be a vector of myxoma virus to rabbits?
A. Spilopsyllus cuniculi
B. Vermipsylla alakurt
C. Ceratophyllus gallinae
D. Ctenocephalides canis
E. Ctenocephalides felis
25) Which of these protozoan parasites is transmitted to laboratory and domestic rats by
fleas?
A. Plasmodium falciparum
B. Trypanosoma lewisi
C. Trypanosoma chagasi
D. Leishmania donovani
E. Trypanosoma brucei
26) How is the double-pored tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) typically transmitted to
dogs and (sometimes) people?
A. By being bitten by a cat or dog flea
B. By being bitten by a human flea
C. By consuming uncooked meat
D. By drinking water contaminated with flea feces
E. By ingestion of adult fleas containing cysticercoids
27) What is the name given to chemicals used to kill fleas?
A. Pulicides
B. Adulticides
C. Larvicides
D. Holocides
E. Pediculicides
28) Which mammals are most commonly affected by tungiasis?
A. Cattle
B. Chickens
C. Cats
D. Only humans
E. Humans, dogs and hogs
29) What is the specific name of the medical and veterinary condition whereby saliva
from flea bites causes an itchy rash due to host hypersensitivity?
A. Plague
B. Cat scratch disease
C. Murine typhus
D. Flea bite dermatitis
E. Q fever
30) What can be lightly applied to carpets to kill flea larvae?
A. Sand
B. Straw
C. Scrapings from pet beds
D. Water
E. Diatomaceous earth
31) Which of these tapeworms can be transmitted to rats and mice when they consume
infected fleas?
A. Hymenolepis diminuta
B. Dipylidium caninum
C. Choanotainia infundibulum
D. Taenia solium
E. Taenia saginata
32) Flea larvae lack which of these structures?
A. Mouthparts and eyes
B. Mouthparts and legs
C. Legs and eyes
D. Legs and mouthparts
E. Mandibles
33) Members of which other insect orders are most closely related to fleas?
A. Diplura and Collembola
B. Coleoptera and Strepsiptera
C. Lepidoptera and Trichoptera
D. Mecoptera and Diptera
E. Hemiptera and Homoptera
34) Approximately how many different species and subspecies of fleas have been
described?
A. ~2,500
B. ~50,000
C. ~200
D. ~1 million
E. ~100,000
35) What is the name of the highly sensory structure near the (dorsal) terminal end of the
abdomen of adult fleas?
A. Ctenidium
B. Sensilium
C. Pronotum
D. Epipharynx
E. Metanotum
36) What is the name of the highly elastic protein in flea pleural arches that facilitates
jumping?
A. Pyrethrin
B. Apyrase
C. Pulicide
D. Resilin
E. Pediculicide
37) What was the specific name given to the first recorded human plague pandemic (it
started in AD 541)?
A. Justinian’s plague
B. Campestral plague
C. Urban plague
D. Sylvatic Plague
E. Wild-rodent plague
38) Which life stage of Tunga penetrans embeds in host skin to become a swollen
subdermal parasite?
A. Larva
B. Egg
C. Adult male
D. Pupa
E. Adult female
39) Which mammals are the main reservoir hosts of murine typhus (=endemic typhus or
flea-borne typhus)?
A. Cats
B. Dogs
C. Humans
D. Peridomestic rats
E. Flying squirrels
40) What is the specific name given to the swollen lymph nodes (usually axillary or
inguinal) that typically occur in clinical cases of plague?
A. Hives
B. Carbuncles
C. Buboes
D. Roseola pulicosa
E. Pupura pulicosa
ANSWERS (Multiple Choice Questions)
1D
2D
3E
4B
5B
6A
7E
8C
9D
10B
11D
12C
13A
14C
15D
16C
17E
18A
19B
20D
21C
22A
23B
24A
25B
26E
27A
28E
29D
30E
31A
32C
33D
34A
35C
36D
37A
38E
39D
40C
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1) To which insect order do fleas belong?
2) What is the Latin name for the cat flea?
3) What is the Latin name for the tropical rat flea?
4) As a group, fleas parasitize members of which 2 classses of vertebrates?
5) Specifically, which mammals are the main reservoirs of urban plague?
6) List the developmental (life cycle) stages of all fleas?
7) Specifically, which anatomical structure becomes clogged in a blocked flea?
8) What is thought to be the function of the ctenidia in fleas that have these structures?
9) Which species of flea has become a major pest that will feed on cats, dogs, humans
and some other mammals?
10) What is a solenophage?
11) Give the Latin name of the organism that causes plague.
12) Give the Latin name of the organism that causes murine typhus (also called murine or
flea-borne typhus).
13) Give the Latin name of the organism that causes cat scratch disease?
14) Name a pathogen that is typically transmitted via flea feces (posterior station
transmission)?
15) Name a pathogen that is typically transmitted through flea mouthparts (anterior
station transmission)?
16) Name a flea that is typically associated with chickens
17) Name the flea species that is the principal vector of the agent that causes urban
plague?
18) Which mammals are the main reservoirs of sylvatic plague in western North
America?
19) How many plague pandemics have been recorded throughout human history?
20) What are the 3 recognized main clinical forms of plague?
21) What is flea dirt?
22) Give the Latin name for the chigoe ( also called the jigger or sand flea)?
23) ) Give the Latin name for the human flea?
24) Name the flea that can transmit myxoma virus to rabbits (mainly in Europe)?
25) Name the flagellated protozoan parasite that is transmitted to laboratory and domestic
rats by fleas?
26) How is the double-pored tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) typically transmitted to
dogs and (sometimes) people?
27) What is the specific name given to chemicals used to kill fleas?
28) Which mammal species (common names are okay) are most commonly affected by
tungiasis?
29) What is the specific name of the medical and veterinary condition whereby saliva
from flea bites causes an itchy rash due to host hypersensitivity?
30) How does diatomaceous earth kill flea larvae?
31) Name a tapeworm that can be transmitted to rats and mice when they consume
infected fleas?
32) Which morphological structures are absent in flea larvae?
33) Members of which two other insect orders are most closely related to fleas?
34) Approximately how many different species and subspecies of fleas have been
described?
35) What is the name of the highly sensory structure near the (dorsal) terminal end of the
abdomen of adult fleas?
36) What is the name of the highly elastic protein in flea pleural arches that facilitates
jumping?
37) What was the specific name given to the first recorded human plague pandemic (it
started in AD 541)?
38) Which life stage of Tunga penetrans embeds in host skin to become a swollen
subdermal parasite?
39) Specifically, which mammals are the main reservoir hosts of murine typhus
(=endemic typhus or flea-borne typhus) ?
40) What is the specific name given to the swollen lymph nodes (usually axillary or
inguinal) that typically occur in clinical cases of plague?
ANSWERS (Short Answer Questions)
1) Siphonaptera
2) Ctenocephalides felis
3) Xenopsylla cheopis
4) Mammalia and Aves (mammals and birds also acceptable)
5) Peridomestic rats (Domestic rats, rats, or Rattus spp. also acceptable)
6) Egg, larva, pupa, adult
7) Proventriculus
8) To lock into host fur or feathers OR to protect flexible joints
9) Ctenocephalides felis
10) A blood-feeding arthropod that feeds directly from host blood vessels
11) Yersinia pestis
12) Rickettsia typhi
13) Bartonella henselae
14) Rickettsia typhi or Trypanosoma lewisi (certain trypanosomes also acceptable)
15) Yersinia pestis (Bartonella henselae or Myxoma virus also acceptable)
16) Any of the following are acceptable: Ceratophyllus gallinae, Ceratophyllus niger,
Echidnophaga gallinacea, Eurpean chicken flea, Hen flea, Western chicken flea,
Sticktight flea
17) Xenopsylla cheopis (Oriental rat flea also acceptable)
18) Rock squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks and prairie dogs
19) 3 (diligent students may mention that the status of medieval plague or the black death
in Europe has been disputed by some scholars who suggest a different pathogen may
have caused many or some of the deaths – this is not covered in the book chapter)
20) Bubonic, Septicemic and Pneumonic
21) Feces of adult fleas often seen in pet fur or on their bedding
22) Tunga penetrans
23) Pulex irritans
24) Spilopsyllus cuniculi
25) Trypanosoma lewisi
26) By ingestion of fleas containing cysticercoids
27) Pulicides
28) Humans, dogs and hogs/swine (Homo sapiens, Canis lupus/familiaris or Sus scrofa
also acceptable)
29) Flea bite dermatitis
30) Sharp points in the silica particles pierce the integument of flea larvae as they move
through carpets or pet bedding; this eventually kills the larvae
31) Any of the following are acceptable: Hymenolepis diminuta, Hymenolepis nana,
dwarf tapeworm, rodent tapeworm
32) Legs and eyes
33) Mecoptera and Diptera (scorpionflies and true flies could also be acceptable,
depending on the discretion of the instructor)
34) ~2,500
35) Sensilium (pygidium of older works)
36) Resilin
37) Justinian’s plague
38) Adult female
39) Peridomestic rats (Domestic rats, rats, or Rattus spp. also acceptable)
40) Buboes
ESSAY/ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1) Write an account of the historical importance of plague in humans.
2) Give an account of the fleas of domestic chickens, their effects on the host and
methods of control (similar questions on fleas of domestic dogs, cats, laboratory rats,
humans etc. could also be given).
3) Describe the life cycle of a typical flea.
4) Discuss the veterinary importance of the cat flea.
5) Describe the life cycle, modes of transmission, and control options for murine typhus
(=endemic typhus or flea-borne typhus).
ANSWERS (ESSAY/ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS)
1) Students should elaborate on the following:
- The name of the causative agent of plague (Yersinia pestis).
- The role of fleas as vectors, especially the tropical rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, for
urban plague.
- The 3 recognized human plague pandemics and their approximate dates and mortality.
- How plague, especially medieval plague, influenced human history (especially
economics and religion), N. B., diligent students may mention that the status of medieval
plague or the black death in Europe has been disputed by some scholars who suggest a
different pathogen may have caused many or some of the deaths – this is not covered in
the book chapter.
- Important discoveries about the causative agent of plague, how it is transmitted and the
principal vectors.
-Mention the current status and distribution of plague worldwide and state why it is much
less common now (the advent of efficacious antibiotics since the 1940s, flea and rodent
surveillance, flea and rodent control)
2) Ideally, common and Latin names of the fleas that parasitize chickens should be given:
Ceratophyllus gallinae ( Eurpean chicken flea, Hen flea in Europe)
Ceratophyllus niger (Western chicken flea)
Echidnophaga gallinacea (Sticktight flea)
This could be followed by brief notes on the life cycle for each flea species and their
possible detrimental effects on the host such as ulcerated feeding sites, secondary
infections and blindness (mainly for E. gallinacea), anemia, unthriftiness, emaciation and
(for hens) reduced egg laying capacity.
Control measures mentioned could include various poultry facility-applied pulicides with
care taken to avoid contamination of eggs destined for human consumption.
3) Notes on the egg (typically dropped onto host bedding, nest material or carpets),
legless and eyeless larva which uses robust mandibles to consume food, pupa, flimsy
silken cocoon with adherent particles from the substrate, and blood-feeding adult male
and female should be mentioned. Provisioning of blood rich feces by adults of some flea
species as a food source for conspecific larvae could also be discussed. Aberrant life
cycles of unusual fleas such as the chigoe (Tunga penetrans) could be mentioned.
4) The major hosts of veterinary importance of the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) should
be listed (cats and dogs). The fact that the cat flea has now displaced (partially or
completely) the dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis) on dogs in many parts of the world
should also be mentioned although the exact reasons for this are unknown. Recent
adaptation of some cat flea populations to feeding on other hosts, such as horses and
cattle, should also be included. The possible effects of cat fleas on all of these hosts
should be discussed such as flea bite dermatitis in hypersensitive pets, anemia, itchiness,
fur loss from scratching, and pathogen transmission (Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia felis
and, rarely, Rickettsia typhi and Yersinia pestis, mainly to cats). Control measures could
be mentioned although this is not part of the question asked above.
5) The causative agent (Rickettsia typhi), flea vectors (mainly Xenopsyla cheopis;
sometimes Ctenocephalides felis, Nosopsyllus fasciatus, Leptopsylla segnis and other
species) and reservoir hosts (domestic rats, sometimes opossums in N. America) should
be included. The fact that this disease is worldwide in distribution (current U.S. foci are
mainly in Hawaii and southern Texas) but under-diagnosed should also be mentioned.
Control measures include flea and rat surveillance, flea and rat control and the use of
effective antibiotics in infected humans.