Oriental rat flea
The Oriental rat flea, scientifically known as *Xenopsylla cheopis*, is a small, parasitic insect typically measuring about 1/10 of an inch (2.5 millimeters) in length. Infamous for its role in transmitting the bubonic plague during the Middle Ages, this flea primarily infests rats but is also capable of biting humans and other mammals. Its anatomy features a flat body, spiny plates, piercing mouthparts, and powerful hind legs that enable it to jump between hosts. While feeding on blood, the Oriental rat flea can remain without food for periods ranging from six weeks to 100 days, and its bites can cause local skin irritations in hosts.
The flea’s mating patterns vary by climate, with year-round reproduction in tropical regions and seasonal mating in cooler areas. A female Oriental rat flea can lay up to 50 eggs daily, which hatch within two weeks, and the larvae undergo several growth stages before emerging as adults. Predators of the Oriental rat flea include various reptiles and insects, but the species itself is not considered threatened. Understanding the Oriental rat flea is essential for historical context regarding disease transmission and its ecological role within various environments.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Oriental rat flea
The Oriental rat flea is the most feared of all fleas. During the Middle Ages, this flea carried the dreaded bubonic plague and was responsible for the deaths of 25 million people throughout Europe. The Oriental rat flea transferred the plague from rats to humans by their tiny bites.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropda
Class: Insecta
Order: Siphonaptera
Family: Pulicidae
Genus: Xenopsylla
Species: Cheopis
In spite of its name, the Oriental rat flea is not found only in the Orient. This flea has been common throughout many parts of the world for many centuries. During the 14th century it was common throughout Europe and carried the dreaded bubonic plague. The Oriental rat flea is typically found in the fur of rats, but may also bite other mammals, including humans. This is how the Oriental rat flea passed the plague from rats to humans.
Like other fleas, the Oriental rat flea typically grows to be no more than 1/10 of an inch (2 1/2 millimeters) in length. Its tiny body is covered with many hairy, spiny plates. On its head, the Oriental rat flea has a pair of beady eyes, two antennae, and a set of piercing mouthparts. Along the sides of its body, the Oriental rat flea has six legs, the largest and strongest of which are its hind legs. The Oriental rat flea jumps from one creature to another by the use of these limbs. Like other fleas, the Oriental rat flea has a body which is basically flat from side to side.
As a parasite, or animal which lives on or in another animal, the Oriental rat flea feeds on the blood of its host. A host is the animal on or in which a parasite lives. The Oriental rat flea uses its special mouthparts suck blood from under the skin of its host. First it stabs its host and then it drives one of its mouthparts farther into its host's skin. The Oriental rat flea repeats this process many times to feed. An Oriental rat flea can go between six weeks and 100 days without eating. Although the feeding process is mostly painless for the host, an itchy, red, skin irritation develops where the flea was feeding.
When an Oriental rat flea is infected with the bubonic plague, it develops a blockage in its gut. When it tries to feed, infected blood flows into the host on which it is feeding. Because of the blockage no blood can pass from the host to the Oriental rat flea, and so the flea becomes more and more hungry. Because of this it tries to feed more often, and therefore spreads the plague more quickly.
Mating for the Oriental rat flea depends largely on this insect's geographical location and climate. In the tropics, mating is year-round, while in cooler climates this insect only mates in the summer. After mating, the female Oriental rat flea lays up to 50 eggs a day in the skin of her hosts. These eggs typically hatch two days to two weeks after they are laid. After hatching, the new larval fleas molt, or shed, their skins twice before spinning cocoons, or coverings, around their bodies. They continue growing within their cocoons until they emerge as adults.
Snakes, spiders, frogs, lizards, beetles, and ladybugs all prey on the Oriental rat flea. The Oriental rat flea has life span of around one year in the cocoon state. As an adult it can live from six weeks to one year. They are not a threatened species.
Bibliography
Trivedi, Janki. “ADW: Xenopsylla Cheopis: Information.” Animal Diversity Web, 2003, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Xenopsylla‗cheopis. Accessed 8 May 2024.
Walker, Ken. “Pseudoterranova Decipiens Sealworm Nematode.” Entomology and Nematology Department, June 2021, entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/Urban/occas/oriental‗rat‗flea‗Xenopsylla‗cheopis.htm. Accessed 8 May 2024.