Water uptake in the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (Pulicidae: Siphonaptera)
Abstract
To counteract water loss due to excretion, cuticular transpiration and respiration, various groups of arthropods have developed mechanisms for active uptake of water vapor from unsaturated air. In this study, active uptake capabilities and water loss rates were examined in the various developmental stages of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. To determine critical equilibrium humidity, the lowest relative humidity at which active water uptake can occur, pre-desiccated immature and adult fleas were placed in a series of humidity regimes ranging from 44 to 93% RH. Active uptake occurred in larval stages at relative humidities above 53% and in pre-pupae at 75-93% RH. Pupae and adults did not demonstrate active uptake at any humidity. Optimal uptake for larvae occurred between 20 and 30 degrees C. When placed over Drierite (<10% RH), larval and adult stages demonstrated a higher rate of water loss than pre-pupal and pupal stages. Active water uptake is necessary to ensure proper development of the larvae of C. felis. Active uptake ceases after the larval-pupal ecdysis and it appears that adults have lost the ability to actively uptake water.
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Fleas may survive indoors during the winter and also outdoors in situations in which the environment is marginal.
“Of importance, is that fleas may survive indoors during the winter and also outdoors in those situations in which the environment is marginal [158].”
From Fleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes (2013) · cites this paper as [158]
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- Authors
- Thiemann, T., Fielden, L. J., & Kelrick, M. I.
- Affiliations
- Truman State University (US)
- ORCID
- Thiemann, T
- Venue
- Journal of Insect Physiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-12
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1085-1092
- ISSN
- 0022-1910 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2007835120
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Insect Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Truman State University
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Keywords
- Ctenocephalides felis, water vapor adsorption, water loss, relative humidity, developmental stages, larva, pupae, pupal ecdysis, temperature effects, cuticular transpiration, desiccation
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Body Weight, Siphonaptera, Humidity, Larva, Life Cycle Stages, Pupa, Temperature, Water, Water Loss, Insensible, Survival Analysis
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