Echidna flea explained

The echidna flea (Bradiopsylla echidnae) is the larger of two species of flea commonly found on the short-beaked echidna. It is monotypic, that is, the only species in the genus.^{[1] [2]} This flea reaches 4 millimetres in length and has been claimed to be the world's largest flea.^[3] This statement is in error as the world's largest flea is known to be the mountain beaver flea which can be as large as 12 millimetres in length.^[4]

The echidna flea is found on short-beaked Echidnas in southeastern Australia and Tasmania, and although echidnas are distributed more widely throughout Australasia, it has not been recorded in New Guinea where other species of echidna occur (Zaglossus and Tachyglossus).The echidna flea has also been recorded once on a Tasmanian devil.^[5]

The echidna flea has been a subject in several molecular studies as the out-group for phylogenetic trees of cat and dog fleas.^{[6] [7]}

Notes and References

1. Lewis RE . Notes on the geographical distribution and host preferences in the order Siphonaptera. 4. Coptopsyllidae, Pygiopsyllidae, Stephanocircidae and Xiphiopsyllidae . Journal of Medical Entomology . 11 . 4 . 403–13 . August 1974 . 4424098 . 10.1093/jmedent/11.4.403 .
2. Dunnet GM, Nardon DK . 1974. A Monograph of Australian Fleas (Siphonaptera) . Australian Journal of Zoology . Supplementary Series. en. 22. 30. 1–273. 10.1071/ajzs030.
3. Web site: Short-beaked Echidna . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170826072148/https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/wildlife-management/fauna-of-tasmania/mammals/echidnas-and-platypus/short-beaked-echidna . 26 August 2017 . 2020-08-12 . Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania . Tasmanian Government.
4. News: Yoon CK . 2014-07-28. The Great Giant Flea Hunt. en-US. The New York Times. 2020-08-12. 0362-4331.
5. Kwak ML, Madden C, Wicker L . 2017 . The first record of the native flea Acanthopsylla rothschildi Rainbow, 1905 (Siphonaptera: Pygiopsyllidae) from the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii Boitard, 1841), with a review of the fleas associated with the Tasmanian devil . Australian Entomologist . 44 . 4 . 293–296 .
6. Šlapeta Š, Šlapeta J . Molecular identity of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from cats in Georgia, USA carrying Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella henselae and Rickettsia sp. RF2125 . Veterinary Parasitology, Regional Studies and Reports . 3–4 . 36–40 . June 2016 . 31014497 . 10.1016/j.vprsr.2016.06.005 .
7. Gentz . E.J. . Richard . M.J. . Stuart . L.D. . 2009 . Splenic lymphoma in a short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) . Australian Veterinary Journal . 87 . 7 . 273–274 . 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2009.00445.x. 19573150 .
8. Hii SF, Lawrence AL, Cuttell L, Tynas R, Abd Rani PA, Šlapeta J, Traub RJ . Evidence for a specific host-endosymbiont relationship between Rickettsia sp. genotype RF2125' and Ctenocephalides felis orientis infesting dogs in India | journal = Parasites & Vectors | volume = 8 | issue = 1 | page = 169 | date = March 2015 | pmid = 25884425 | pmc = 4369868 | doi = 10.1186/s13071-015-0781-x | doi-access = free }}

   Evidence suggests that the echidna flea, in large infestation quantities, is responsible for a type of anemia and perhaps even a type of lymphoma in the short-beaked echidna.^[7]

   References

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