Echidnophaga

Echidnophaga
Echidnophaga gillinacea infesting a chicken's head
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Siphonaptera
Family: Pulicidae
Subfamily: Pulicinae
Genus: Echidnophaga
Olliff, 1886

Echidnophaga is a genus of fleas. It includes species which are found in Africa, parts of Asia, southern Europe, and Australia.[1] Fleas in this genus remain attached to their host in a single location for long periods of time, causing swelling and ulceration of tissue.[2] To remain attach for long periods they use specialized mouthparts,[3] which, compared to other fleas, are relatively much longer.[4]

  1. ^ Brinck-Lindroth, G; Smit, FGAM (2007). "Life history". The fleas (Siphonaptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill. pp. 5–7. ISBN 978-90-04-15151-2.
  2. ^ Gosling, Peter J. (2005). Dictionary of parasitology. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis. p. 99. ISBN 9781420019629.
  3. ^ Lehane, M. J. (1991). "7.2 Morphological specializations for life on the host". Biology of Blood-Sucking Insects. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. pp. 116–121. ISBN 978-94-011-7953-9.
  4. ^ Russell, R; Otranto, D; Wall, RL (2013). "4.4 Fleas (Sipohonaptera): Adult". The encyclopedia of medical and veterinary entomology. Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK: CABI. p. 123. ISBN 9781780640372.