Ctenocephalides canis

Also known as: Dog flea

Ctenocephalides canis
Class	Insecta
Order	Siphonaptera
Family	Pulicidae
Species	Ctenocephalides canis

Ctenocephalides canis
Luis Fernández García 2007, Wikimedia Commons

Hosts

Dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, foxes and humans

Identification

C. canis is very similar to C.felis, and of the order Siphonaptera. The first genal spine is 0.5 times the length of the second, and C. canis has a more rounded head than C. felis.

See general flea structure.

Life Cycle

Again, very similar to C. felis. The eggs are produced soon after arrival on the host. They then hatch into larvae, which undergo two moults before entering the pupae stage. The pupae may remain dormant for a year or longer, and are stimulated to hatch by mechanical stimuli such as vibrations.

Under suitable conditions, the complete life cycle can take as little as 3 weeks.

See general flea life cycle.

Ctenocephalides canis Learning Resources
Vetstream To reach the Vetstream content, please select	Canis, Felis, Lapis or Equis
Literature Search Search for recent publications via CAB Abstract (CABI log in required)	Ctenocephalides canis publications

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