What is the anatomy of a flea?
Fleas have a unique anatomy that allows them to suck blood and leap as high as 7 inches! HowStuffWorks Fleas are minuscule, but anyone who has seen one usually can recognize it with ease. They're tiny, flat, wingless insects that have a knack for jumping away before you can catch them. Their bodies are covered with hard plates called sclerites.
How do fleas work?
How Fleas Work. A flea also has spines around its head and mouth -- the number and shape vary according to the flea's species. The mouth itself is adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Several mouthparts come together to form a needlelike drinking tube. Here's a rundown: Two sawlike laciniae cut the skin.
What holds a flea's leg in place?
A tendon holds the bent leg in place. When the flea releases this tendon, the leg straightens almost instantly, and the flea accelerates like a bolt from a crossbow. As it lands, the flea uses tiny claws on the ends of its legs to grasp the surface under it.
What are the adaptations of a flea?
A flea also has spines around its head and mouth, with the number and shape varying according to the species. The mouth itself is adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Several mouthparts unite to form a needlelike drinking tube.
Do fleas breathe?
Fleas have a number of impressive adaptations that make them difficult to control, beyond the ability to jump up to 100 times farther than the length of their bodies. Fleas can sense the breathe, warmth, and vibrations of animals, which helps them find their next meal.
What is the function of the thorax in a flea?
Fleas, despite their wingless state, have retained the resilin hinge on the thorax at the site where the legs attach to the body. When a flea crouches, the resilin pads become compressed, and they are maintained in this state by a muscle-controlled catch mechanism.
What are the two functions of the fleas mouth?
Siphonaptera (Fleas) The mouthparts are specialized for piercing and sucking, lack mandibles but have an upaired labral stylet and two elongate serrate, lacinial stylets that together lie within a maxillary sheath. A salivary pump injects saliva into the wound, and cibarial and pharyngeal pumps suck up the blood meal.
Does a flea have a heart?
Do insects even have hearts? Sure they do, but their hearts are somewhat different from human hearts. Like all arthropods, insects have an open circulatory system as opposed to our closed circulatory system.
Do fleas have lungs?
Insects do not have lungs, nor do they transport oxygen through a circulatory system in the manner that humans do. Instead, the insect respiratory system relies on a simple gas exchange that bathes the insect's body in oxygen and expels the carbon dioxide waste.
What organs do fleas have?
Flea AnatomyLabrum and labium make up the "upper" and "lower" lips.Labial palps are long, five-segmented sensory organs that come from the labium.Maxillae is a pair of short, wide plates located in front the labial palps.Maxillary palps: A long, four-segmented palpus comes off each maxilla.More items...•
Why do fleas bite me but not my husband?
In addition to the chemical makeup, other people believe that fleas are simply attracted to some scents more than others. This is why they might prefer a certain individual due to their natural body scent, sweat, and/or the products they apply to their skin, such as soaps, shower gels, deodorants, etc.
How do fleas work?
Adult fleas are parasites that feed on the blood of the host animal by biting and sucking blood. Cat fleas will bite and feed on dogs, cats and humans, and on outdoor animals such as rodents, foxes and opossums. Most feeding on a pet takes place when it is sleeping or at rest.
Do fleas have crushing mouthparts?
A pair of jaws for crushing or grinding the food. They operate from side to side. Maxillae. A pair of appendages which are divided in three parts: cardo, which articulates with the head; stipes, which supports a sensory palp; galea and lacinia, which act as fork and spoon to manipulate the food.
Does flea have teeth?
Adult fleas don't have teeth. Instead, they have needle-like mouths for piercing skin and sucking blood. Flea larvae, on the other hand, do possess mandibles and mandibular teeth.
Do fleas have a brain?
Insects have tiny brains inside their heads. They also have little brains known as “ganglia” spread out across their bodies. The insects can see, smell, and sense things quicker than us.
Are fleas asexual?
Summary. Cat fleas don't reproduce asexually. They aren't parthenogenetic. Offspring are only produced after flea eggs are fertilized through successful mating.
Where do fleas lay their eggs?
In some species, the flea lives in the host's nest or burrow and the eggs are deposited on the substrate, but in others, the eggs are laid on the host itself and can easily fall off onto the ground. Because of this, areas where the host rests and sleeps become one of the primary habitats of eggs and developing larvae.
What is the catch mechanism for fleas?
To prevent premature release of energy or motions of the leg, the flea employs a "catch mechanism". Early in the jump, the tendon of the primary jumping muscle passes slightly behind the coxa-trochanter joint, generating a torque which holds the joint closed with the leg close to the body.
What are the stages of a dog flea?
Dog flea (from top) larva, egg, pupa and adult. Fleas are holometabolous insects, going through the four lifecycle stages of egg, larva, pupa, and imago (adult). In most species, neither female nor male fleas are fully mature when they first emerge but must feed on blood before they become capable of reproduction.
How long can a flea jump?
Jumping. Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping; a flea can jump vertically up to 18 cm (7 in) and horizontally up to 33 cm (13 in), making the flea one of the best jumpers of all known animals (relative to body size), second only to the froghopper.
How big are fleas?
Fleas are wingless insects, 1.5 to 3.3 millimetres ( 1⁄16 to 1⁄8 inch) long, that are agile, usually dark colored (for example, the reddish-brown of the cat flea ), with a proboscis, or stylet, adapted to feeding by piercing the skin and sucking their host's blood through their epipharynx.
What fleas are found only on armadillos?
Some families of fleas are exclusive to a single host group; for example, the Malacopsyllidae are found only on armadillos, the Ischnopsyllidae only on bats, and the Chimaeropsyllidae only on elephant shrews . The oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, is a vector of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium which causes bubonic plague.
How far can fleas leap?
They are able to leap a distance of some 50 times their body length, a feat second only to jumps made by another group of insects, the superfamily of froghoppers. Flea larvae are worm-like with no limbs; they have chewing mouthparts and feed on organic debris left on their host's skin.
How do fleas find their hosts?
Adult fleas find hosts by detecting body heat, movement, the vibrations caused by movement, and breathing.
How long does it take for fleas to emerge from dirt?
Within 5-20 days of feeding on flea dirt, the larvae will spin a cocoon, and enter the pupa stage. The cocoon protects pupa from environmental conditions and insecticides/repellents for several days or weeks until adult fleas are ready to emerge.
How many stages of life do fleas have?
Most fleas have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa (in a cocoon), and adult. This diagram shows the typical lifecycle of fleas. The lifecycle of fleas can be very quick or last many months to years depending on the environmental conditions throughout the life stages.
How long does it take for a flea egg to hatch?
Eggs will hatch in one to ten days depending on environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. After hatching from an egg, fleas enter their larval stage. Larvae are free moving and feed on blood and flea feces (poop; also called “flea dirt”), in order to continue their development.
How do bloodworms breathe?
By undulating their bodies in the muddy bottoms of lakes and ponds, bloodworms are able to saturate the hemoglobin with oxygen. When they stop moving , the hemoglobin releases oxygen, enabling them to breathe in even the most polluted aquatic environments.
What insects take oxygen from the air?
Some aquatic insects, such as rat-tailed maggots, maintain a connection with air on the surface through a snorkel-like structure. A few insects have modified spiracles that can pierce the submerged portions of aquatic plants, and take oxygen from air channels within their roots or stems.
What is hemoglobin in water?
Hemoglobin can facilitate the capture of oxygen molecules from the water . Non-biting midge larvae from the Chironomidae family and a few other insect groups possess hemoglobin, much like vertebrates do. Chironomid larvae are often called bloodworms because the hemoglobin imbues them with a bright red color. Bloodworms can thrive in water with exceptionally low oxygen levels. By undulating their bodies in the muddy bottoms of lakes and ponds, bloodworms are able to saturate the hemoglobin with oxygen. When they stop moving, the hemoglobin releases oxygen, enabling them to breathe in even the most polluted aquatic environments. This backup oxygen supply may only last a few minutes but it's usually long enough for the insect to move to more oxygenated water.
How do insects control respiration?
Insects can control respiration to some degree. They are able to open and close their spiracles via muscle contractions. For example, an insect living in a desert environment can keep its spiracle valves closed to prevent moisture loss. This is accomplished by contracting muscles surrounding the spiracle.
How do insects vent air?
In cases of heat or stress, insects can even vent air by alternately opening different spiracles and using muscles to expand or contract their bodies.
What is the function of the spiracle openings in an insect?
Similarly, the spiracle openings allow air into the interior tracheal system bathing the insect's tissues with oxygen. Carbon dioxide, a metabolic waste, exits the body through the spiracles.
What insects have a mesh-like network of hairs that repels water?
Others, like riffle beetles, maintain a permanent film of air around their bodies. These aquatic insects are protected by a mesh-like network of hairs that repels water, providing them with a constant air supply from which to draw oxygen.
Where is breathing located?
The pathway towards the lungs is provided by airways and together, these components form the respiratory system, which is located inside the thoracic or chest cavity.
Which aperture allows the passage of air through the trachea?
However, the thoracic cage is opened superiorly and inferiorly at the so-called apertures (openings). The superior aperture permits the passage of the trachea, which facilitates the movement of air during breathing The larger inferior thoracic aperture is completely covered by the diaphragm.
What is the respiratory system?
Respiratory system (anatomy diagram) So far, you have seen how the thoracic cage is a frame that encloses the respiratory system and allows breathing to take place. Several muscles that span several regions of the body, such as the thoracic wall itself, neck, shoulder girdle and abdomen, act upon this structure.
Which muscle is involved in the process of ventilation?
The diaphragm and a variety of other muscles are also involved in the process of ventilation. The action of breathing is tightly controlled by the respiratory centre located inside the brain stem. Key facts about the breathing process. Mechanical components.
Which neuronal group controls the rate and depth of breathing?
- ventral respiratory group: forced expiration. - pneumotaxic centre: controls the rate and depth of breathing. Clinical relations.
What is the movement of air between the atmosphere and the lung alveoli?
In the medical world, breathing is defined as pulmonary ventilation, described as the movement of air between the atmosphere and the lung alveoli . It involves two events: inspiration, when the air moves into the lungs and expiration, when the air leaves the lungs.
What is the name of the breathing that occurs at rest?
Quiet breathing, also known as eupnea, is a mode of breathing that occurs at rest and does not require the cognitive thought of the individual. During quiet breathing, the diaphragm and external intercostals must contract. A deep breath, called diaphragmatic breathing, requires the diaphragm to contract.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a chronic disorder that can occur in children or adults, and is characterized by the cessation of breathing during sleep. These episodes may last for several seconds or several minutes, and may differ in the frequency with which they are experienced. Sleep apnea leads to poor sleep, which is reflected in the symptoms of fatigue, evening napping, irritability, memory problems, and morning headaches. In addition, many individuals with sleep apnea experience a dry throat in the morning after waking from sleep, which may be due to excessive snoring.
What happens to the alveoli during expiration?
Without pulmonary surfactant, the alveoli would collapse during expiration . Thoracic wall compliance is the ability of the thoracic wall to stretch while under pressure. This can also affect the effort expended in the process of breathing. In order for inspiration to occur, the thoracic cavity must expand.
What is the respiratory volume?
Respiratory volume is the term used for various volumes of air moved by or associated with the lungs at a given point in the respiratory cycle. There are four major types of respiratory volumes: tidal, residual, inspiratory reserve, and expiratory reserve ( Figure 22.3.4 ). Tidal volume (TV) is the amount of air that normally enters the lungs during quiet breathing, which is about 500 milliliters. Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is the amount of air you can forcefully exhale past a normal tidal expiration, up to 1200 milliliters for men. Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is produced by a deep inhalation, past a tidal inspiration. This is the extra volume that can be brought into the lungs during a forced inspiration. Residual volume (RV) is the air left in the lungs if you exhale as much air as possible. The residual volume makes breathing easier by preventing the alveoli from collapsing. Respiratory volume is dependent on a variety of factors, and measuring the different types of respiratory volumes can provide important clues about a person’s respiratory health ( Figure 22.3.5 ).
What is the ability to breathe?
However, the ability to breathe—to have air enter the lungs during inspiration and air leave the lungs during expiration —is dependent on the air pressure of the atmosphere and the air pressure within the lungs.
Where are the chemoreceptors located?
Concentrations of chemicals are sensed by chemoreceptors. A central chemoreceptor is one of the specialized receptors that are located in the brain and brainstem, whereas a peripheral chemoreceptor is one of the specialized receptors located in the carotid arteries and aortic arch.
How long does sleep apnea last?
These episodes may last for several seconds or several minutes, and may differ in the frequency with which they are experienced.
Where does breathing go?
Breathing starts when you inhale air into your nose or mouth. It travels down the back of your throat and into your windpipe, which is divided into air passages called bronchial tubes. For your lungs to perform their best, these airways need to be open. They should be free from inflammation or swelling and extra mucus.
How does the heart pump oxygen?
Your heart then pumps it through your body to the cells of your tissues and organs. As the cells use the oxygen, they make carbon dioxide that goes into your blood. Your blood then carries the carbon dioxide back to your lungs, where it’s removed from your body when you exhale.
How many alveoli are there in the human body?
The bronchioles end in tiny balloon-like air sacs called alveoli. Your body has about 600 million alveoli. The alveoli are surrounded by a mesh of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. Here, oxygen from inhaled air passes into your blood.
Where does air enter and leave the mouth?
The air enters and leaves the mouth towards the lungs only through the respiratory tract that connects the two lungs together, one at each end-branch of the tract. In the surface of the lungs there are cells that are connected with very thin blood vessels between which the exchange of gases takes place.
How do frogs breathe?
How does a frog breathe? Frogs breathe by means of gills during their tadpole larval stages, and by lungs, skin, and buccal cavity lining when they have become adults. Their lungs are not fully developed and only helps them to breathe when only on land.
What are the breathing and respiratory organs of a frog?
What are the breathing and respiratory organs of frog? The breathing and respiratory organs of frog includes: their lungs, skin, the buccal cavity lining. Gills are present at least during their early stages of development.
How does a frog's skin help it breathe?
Their skin is thin and allows the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in and out of the body of a frog. Thus, helping in overall respiration. The outer skin surface always remains wet with mucus secretions and this helps the frog to breathe and respire easily with the exchange of the required gases. Moreover, inside the mouth of the frog, there ...
Where is the buccal cavity?
Moreover, inside the mouth of the frog, there is the lining of the buccal cavity that can also help the frog to exchange the oxygen and carbon dioxide gas very easily by diffusion. The location of the buccal cavity lining was the spot where the gills were present during the tadpole stage of the frog.
Which surface of the body is the source of oxygen?
In the respiratory surfaces of the body like skin, lung surface, buccal cavity lining the Oxygen in the air is found in higher concentration due to which it combines with haemoglobin of the blood to form oxyhaemoglobin.
What do frogs' lungs do?
A pair of lungs of frogs can only be seen during their adult stages with which they can only do a part of their breathing and respiration. Their pair of lungs are really very simple and help them breathe when on land or when their face is above the water. Skin is the most important organ of a frog’s body.
