What is the order of fleas called? - briefly
Fleas belong to the order Siphonaptera, a group of wingless, blood‑sucking insects.
What is the order of fleas called? - in detail
Fleas are classified in the order «Siphonaptera». This order comprises wingless, laterally compressed insects that are obligate ectoparasites of mammals and birds.
Key characteristics of «Siphonaptera» include:
- Hardened, chitinous exoskeleton that resists abrasion while the insect moves through host fur or feathers.
- Mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood; the stylet is a complex of elongated canals.
- Absence of wings; locomotion relies on powerful hind legs that enable rapid jumps, sometimes exceeding 100 times body length.
Taxonomic hierarchy:
- Class: Insecta
- Subclass: Pterygota (winged ancestors)
- Order: «Siphonaptera»
Approximately 2,500 species are described within this order, grouped into four families:
- Pulicidae – includes the common cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis).
- Ceratophyllidae – contains rodents’ fleas such as Ceratophyllus spp.
- Hystrichopsyllidae – primarily parasites of small mammals.
- Ischnopsyllidae – specialized for bats.
Life cycle stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult. Eggs are deposited on the host’s environment; larvae are blind, feed on organic debris, and construct silken cocoons. Pupation occurs within the cocoon; emergence is triggered by vibrations, carbon dioxide, or heat from a potential host.
Evolutionary relationships place «Siphonaptera» as a sister group to Mecoptera (scorpionflies), based on morphological and molecular data. Fossil records from the Jurassic period show early flea-like insects with wing remnants, indicating a transition from winged ancestors to the highly specialized, wingless form observed today.
Understanding the order’s defining features aids in pest control, veterinary medicine, and studies of host‑parasite coevolution.