Parasitology - Arthropod 1

Question 1

Insects

Answer 1

3 body segments
6 legs
Egg, larva, pupa, adult

Question 2

Ticks and mites

Answer 2

2 body segments
Larvae - 6 legs
Adults/nymphs - 8 legs
Egg, larva, nymph, adult

Question 3

Simple vs complex life cycles

Answer 3

Simple: immature stages look like small adults
Complex: marked differences in morphology between stages

Question 4

Flea (C. Felis) life cycle

Answer 4

Adults become permanent parasites to host
Females feed w immediate contact to host
Mate & lay eggs 24 hours later
Eggs (0.5mm) 6 days to hatch

Question 5

Flea (C. Felis) life cycle - pupa

Answer 5

Hardest stage to kill, limited movement, stage can last for 6 months

Question 6

Flea life cycle time frame

Answer 6

Egg hatching - 2 days
Larva - 6 days
Pupa - 6 days
TOTAL - 14 days

Question 7

Flea population %

Answer 7

Eggs - 50%
Larvae - 35%
Pupae - 10%
Adult - 5%

Question 8

What are fleas vectors for?

Answer 8

Tapeworms: diplyidiuym canium
Acanthocheilonema recondition
Bartonella henselae (cat scratch fever)

Question 9

Other flea species

Answer 9

Rodent fleas: vector for Yersinia pestis
Stick tight flea: bird parasite

Question 10

Order phthiraptera

Answer 10

Lice
Sucking - only in mammals
Biting - mammals & birds

Question 11

Lice life cycle

Answer 11

Cycle all on host, eggs glued to hairs, 4 weeks

Question 12

Why do lice populations increase during winter?

Answer 12

Thicker hair & body temp is favorable, close contact, stressed animals are more susceptible to lice

Question 13

Lice clinical importance

Answer 13

SA: uncommon
EQ: uncommon but easy
LA: common
Birds: common in wild
Wild mammals: common

Question 14

Key differences of flea & lice

Answer 14

Body- laterally / dorso-ventral compressed
Legs - jump / walking
Host - broad / narrow
Parasite - adult / all stages
Eggs - fall off / stuck to hairs
Immature - larvae / nymphs
Meta - complete / incomplete