Dog Flea (Ctenocephalides canis). Scanning electron micrograph of a female dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). The anterior of the head bears a comb of

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Dog Flea (Ctenocephalides canis). Scanning electron micrograph of a female dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). The anterior of the head bears a comb of thick spines called ctenidia. This is the pronotal comb. The comb above the mouth parts is the genal comb. The eyes are simple photosensitive spots and behind the eyes are the antenna which are recessed into the head. The body is covered in abdominal segments known as terga for the upper body and sterna for the lower. Both males and females are bloodsuckers but only the adults are parasitic. The larvae feed on debris and the faeces of adult fleas. This flea can act as the intermediate host of the dog and cat tapeworm Dipylidium caninum. Magnification: x130 (x43 at 10cm wide).

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Size: 3620px × 4827px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: adult, blood, canis, comb, ctenidia, ctenocephalides, dog, electron, entomology, female, flea, genal, head, insect, insecta, micrograph, microscope, parasite, parasitic, pronotal, scanning, sem, sterna, sucker, terga