. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 116 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSP:UM MAGAZINE. the European Hat Flea (C'erat(iphi/llu>> fasciatus), the former bein<j by far the more important. In Sydney tliree species of fleas occur, commonly on ratsâ Xennps//lla ch/o'pis, Cerutoplii/llus fas- ciatus and Ctenopsylla musculi; the lat-. Mouse Flea (Ctenopsylla musculi). Plioto.âK. Ciiant. their cocoon before emerging. As a rule, liowever, the life cycle is completed in under four Aveeks. The adult life under favoiu'able cir- cumstances is a long one. Bacot founa that the human flea (P. irritan
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. 116 THE AUSTRALIAN MUSP:UM MAGAZINE. the European Hat Flea (C'erat(iphi/llu>> fasciatus), the former bein<j by far the more important. In Sydney tliree species of fleas occur, commonly on ratsâ Xennps//lla ch/o'pis, Cerutoplii/llus fas- ciatus and Ctenopsylla musculi; the lat-. Mouse Flea (Ctenopsylla musculi). Plioto.âK. Ciiant. their cocoon before emerging. As a rule, liowever, the life cycle is completed in under four Aveeks. The adult life under favoiu'able cir- cumstances is a long one. Bacot founa that the human flea (P. irritans) wa* capable of living to 125 days without feeding, but kept under cool, moist con- ditions. Under similar eircumstanccM the European rat flea (C. fasciatus) lived 95 days, the dog flea (Ctenocep- halus canis) 58 days and the Indian rat â¢flea (X. cheapis) 38 days. This period was greatly increased when the flea> were fed daily, the maximum life being for the various species as follows:â Human flea 513 days. European rat flea . â 106 days. Dog flea 234 days. Indian i-at (lea . . 100 days, ("onditions of moisture and coolness are, however, indispensable, as in hot tor is the mouse flea, Imt is equally com- mon on rats. In our knowledge of the bionomics ot fleas we are principally indebted to the Indian Flagaie Commission and to the woi-k of Mr. Bacot of the Lister In- stitute. All fleas ai'e dependeiil ii|)on blood for theij- existence; most are connected with some particular host, but there is con- sideralde variation in the degree of re- strict inn to their host, and in the absence III' flic special host many species will undoul)tedly attack other niiinials. in- cluding man. Fleas pass thi-ough Four distinct stages âegg, larva, pupa and adult. The egg> are deposited by the female while still on the host, and roll off mostly into the bedding matei'ial, where they hatch in two to twelve days. The lai'vae are white, legless, segmented maggots, and live in the
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