What do fleas on cats look like under a microscope? - briefly
Under a microscope, cat fleas are laterally flattened, reddish‑brown insects 1–3 mm long with a hardened exoskeleton, prominent hind legs for jumping, and comb‑like spines on the head and thorax. Their bodies show segmented abdominal plates and fine setae covering the legs and antennae.
What do fleas on cats look like under a microscope? - in detail
Cat fleas observed through a compound microscope measure approximately 1.5–3 mm in length when flattened. Their bodies are laterally compressed, giving a narrow, oval silhouette that facilitates movement through fur. The exoskeleton appears translucent under bright‑field illumination, revealing the underlying chitinous cuticle with a faint reddish hue due to hemolymph.
Key morphological elements visible at 100–400× magnification:
- Head: Small, rounded, bearing a pair of compound eyes that reflect light as tiny dark spots. Antennae consist of three segments, each bearing sensory hairs.
- Mouthparts: Piercing‑sucking stylet apparatus located ventrally, composed of a narrow labrum and elongated mandibles that penetrate the host’s skin.
- Thorax: Four pairs of legs. The anterior three pairs are short and bear spines for gripping hair shafts. The fourth pair is markedly enlarged, flattened, and fringed with setae, forming a paddle‑like structure used for rapid jumping.
- Genal and pronotal combs: Two rows of minute, backward‑pointing spines (ctenidia) on the head (genal) and the dorsal thorax (pronotal). These appear as regular, evenly spaced denticles under high magnification.
- Abdomen: Segmented into ten visible tergites, each separated by shallow grooves. The dorsal surface shows a pattern of fine punctures; the ventral side displays the reproductive organs—male aedeagus and female spermatheca—when specimens are dissected.
Scanning electron microscopy adds surface detail: the cuticle exhibits a reticulate texture, the paddle legs show dense arrays of microscopic hairs increasing surface area, and the comb spines possess serrated edges that interlock with feline hair.
Overall, microscopic examination reveals a compact, highly specialized ectoparasite whose flattened body, jumping legs, and comb structures are distinctive markers for identification.