Notes on the life-history of the rabbit flea Caenopsylla laptevi ibera Beaucournu Marquez, 1987 (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) in eastern Spain

Author： Cooke B.D.

Publisher： Edp Sciences

E-ISSN： 1776-1042|6|4|347-354

ISSN： 1252-607x

Source： Parasite, Vol.6, Iss.4, 2014-09, pp. : 347-354

Access to resources Favorite

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

The rabbit flea Caenopsylla laptevi ibera occurs in arid environments of central and eastern Spain. Although the fleas breed during the coolest, most humid part of the year, the larvae survive and grow in sand at only 50-60 % relative humidity. At 22°C and 80 % relative humidity eggs hatch in six days and the cocoon stage is reached 10-11 days after hatching. Female fleas emerge from pupation at about 1 7 days after cocoon spinning; males emerge a little later at a mean of 20 days. Adult fleas are mainly found on the host Oryctolagus cuniculus. Measurements of burrow microclimate confirmed that in south-eastern Spain burrow humidity was adequate for the development of C. l. ibera larvae over most of the year. However, breeding may be restricted for at least part of the year, as the larvae of C. I. ibera apparently cannot complete development at 25°C or above. In the laboratory, fleas can enter a prolonged quiescent period while in the cocoon. This is possibly a facultative, pre-pupal diapause and the likely mechanism that accounts for the disappearance of adult fleas from the field by spring and their reappearance each autumn.