Echidnophaga myrmecobii

Echidnophaga myrmecobii is a stickfast flea that is native to Australia,[1] and is commonly found on marsupials and rabbits.[1] It is also found on European hares (Lepus europaeus),[2] cats, and dogs.[3]

Echidnophaga myrmecobii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Siphonaptera
Family:
Pulicidae
Genus:
Echidnophaga
Species:
E. myrmecobii
Binomial name
Echidnophaga myrmecobii
Rothschild, 1909

On rabbits, the flea is most commonly found on the head and body, whereas the related flea, Echidnophaga perilis, is more often found on the feet.[4] E. myrmecobii is a minor vector of myxomatosis between rabbits in Australia.[5]

Adult E. myrmecobii can jump 16.5 cm high.[6]

References
  1. Myres, K; Parer, I; Richardson, BJ (1989). "Chapter 45: Leporidae". In Walton, DW; Richardson, BJ (eds.). Fauna of Australia (PDF). Canberra: AGPS. ISBN 9780644060561.
  2. Shepherd, RCH.; Nolan, IF; Lane, IL; Edmonds, JW (1977). "Ectoparasites of the European hare (Lepus europaeus (Pallas)) in two regions of Victoria". Australian Journal of Entomology. 16 (1): 1–5. doi:10.1111/j.1440-6055.1977.tb00050.x.
  3. Seddon, HR (1967). Diseases of domestic animals in Australia: Arthropod infestations (flies, lice and fleas) (2nd ed.). Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health. p. 148.
  4. Shepherd, RCH; Edmonds, JW (1979). "The distribution of the stickfast fleas, Echidnophaga myrmecobii Rothschild and E. Perilis Jordan, on the wild rabbit, Oryctolagus Cuniculus (L.)". Australian Journal of Zoology. 27 (2): 261. doi:10.1071/ZO9790261.
  5. Lehane, M. J. (1991). "9.4 Siphonaptera". Biology of Blood-Sucking Insects. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. p. 204=208. ISBN 978-94-011-7953-9.
  6. Krasnov, BR (2008). "Chapter 8.2.1 Mechanics of a flea jump". Functional and evolutionary ecology of fleas: A model for ecological parasitology. Cambridge University Press. pp. 104–105. ISBN 9781139472661.


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