Echidnophaga gallinacea

Echidnophaga gallinacea
	Echidnophaga gallinacea attached to a hen’s head.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Siphonaptera
Family:	Pulicidae
Genus:	Echidnophaga
Species:	E. gallinacea
Binomial name
	Echidnophaga gallinacea; (Westwood, 1875)

Echidnophaga gallinacea, commonly known as the hen flea, stickfast flea and sticktight flea, occurs on a wide range of bird and mammal hosts. If uncontrolled it causes anaemia, loss of condition, severe skin irritation and sometimes death.

When feeding, female fleas can remain attached for up to 6 weeks at a single site on the host, causing ulceration at the attachment site.[1] Males feed intermittently while displaying mating behavior. Eggs are laid in the ulcers that have formed on the host's skin. The larvae drop to the ground and feed on any organic debris found. Large numbers of the flea may congregate around the eyes, comb, wattles, and other naked skin on poultry - these are difficult to dislodge as their heads are embedded deep below the host's skin.[2][3][4][5]

In 2009, a female specimen of Echidnophaga gallinacea was found on the cheek of a 33-month old human male who lived with family across from Griffith Park in Los Angeles.[6]

References

Taylor, MA; Coop, RL; Wall, RL (2015). "Echidnophaga gallinacea (sticktight flea)". Veterinary Parasitology (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 215–216. ISBN 9781119073697.
"pulci Sifonatteri Ceratophyllus gallinae Echidnophaga gallinacea". www.summagallicana.it. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
Echidnophaga gallinacea - Galloway, Andruschak and Underwood Archived December 3, 2003, at the Wayback Machine
"Flea Pictures - What do Fleas and Flea Infestations Look Like". www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
Loh, Richmond; Kabay, Marc (September 2011). "Farmnote 494: Stickfast fleas – control and eradication". Government of Western Australia: Department of Agriculture and Food. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
Carlson, John C.; Fox, Mark S. (2009). "A sticktight flea removed from the cheek of a two-year-old boy from Los Angeles". Dermatology Online Journal. 15 (1).

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[1] Taylor, MA; Coop, RL; Wall, RL (2015). "Echidnophaga gallinacea (sticktight flea)". Veterinary Parasitology (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 215–216. ISBN 9781119073697.

[2] "pulci Sifonatteri Ceratophyllus gallinae Echidnophaga gallinacea". www.summagallicana.it. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[3] Echidnophaga gallinacea - Galloway, Andruschak and Underwood Archived December 3, 2003, at the Wayback Machine

[4] "Flea Pictures - What do Fleas and Flea Infestations Look Like". www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[5] Loh, Richmond; Kabay, Marc (September 2011). "Farmnote 494: Stickfast fleas – control and eradication". Government of Western Australia: Department of Agriculture and Food. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.

[6] Carlson, John C.; Fox, Mark S. (2009). "A sticktight flea removed from the cheek of a two-year-old boy from Los Angeles". Dermatology Online Journal. 15 (1).