Antarctic flea
| Antarctic flea | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Glaciopsyllus | ||||||||||||
| Smit & Dunnet, 1962 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Glaciopsyllus antarcticus | ||||||||||||
| Smit & Dunnet , 1962 |
The Antarctic flea ( Glaciopsyllus antarcticus ) is the only flea found in Antarctica . It parasitizes on various seabirds living in the Antarctic and, together with the mosquito species Belgica antarctica, is considered to be the most southerly holometabolic insect .
features
The males of Glaciopsyllus antarcticus reach a body length of three millimeters, the females are four millimeters long. Like other fleas, they have a strongly laterally flattened body. The head has piercing-sucking mouthparts to suck blood from the host animals. The legs are equipped with bristles and claws with which the animals can get caught in the plumage.
distribution
Glasiopsyllus antarcticus can only be found in the Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Islands , whereby its range depends on the occurrence of its host birds. It can be assumed that this means that it is mainly found near the coast, but it has already been discovered further inland and is currently the most southern holometabolic insect found (before the mosquito species Belgica antarctica ).
Way of life
Glasiopsyllus antarcticus is the only representative of the fleas found in the Antarctic. It parasitizes different species of petrels such as the snow petrel ( Pagodroma nivea ) and the silver petrel ( Fulmarus glacialoides ), the latter being the main host of fleas.
The life cycle of the fleas is accordingly very closely linked to the development of their hosts, whereby they need the body heat of the birds to survive. The adult animals lay their eggs in the plumage of the young birds during the host's breeding season and suckle on them in order to be able to give their larvae the necessary food. The larvae attack the chicks because, unlike other fleas, they do not stay in the nest, but directly on the body of the chicks, whereby pupation also takes place in the plumage of the young birds.
Systematics
Glaciopsyllus antarcticus was first described in 1962 on the basis of multiple individuals collected in nests of snow petrels ( Pagodroma nivea ) and silver petrels ( Fulmarus glacialoides ) on Ardery Island and Anchorage Island . As the only species of the fleas known in the southern oceans, it was assigned to the predominantly Holarctic family Ceratophyllidae and placed in a new monotypical genus. The position within the family could not be clarified yet, Dasypsyllus comatus is assumed to be the closest relative .
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d Beau Riffenbourgh: Parasitic Insects. Lice ans fleas . In: Encyclopedia of the Antarctic. Volume 1, CRC Press, 2007; Pp. 714-715. ( Google Book Search )
- ↑ a b Michael B. Usher, Marion Edwards: A dipteran from south of the Antarctic Circle: Belgica antarctica (Chironomidae) with a description of its larva. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 23 (1), 2008; Pp. 19-31. doi : 10.1111 / j.1095-8312.1984.tb00803.x
- ↑ a b FGAM Smit, GM Dunnet: A new genus and species of flea from Antarctica. Pacific Insects 4 (4), 1962; Pp. 895-903. ( PDF )
- ^ WK Steele, RLC Pilgrim, RL Palma: Occurrence of the flea Glaciopsyllus antarcticus and avian lice in central Dronning Maud Land. Polar Biology 18 (4), 1997; Pp. 292-294. ( doi: 10.1007 / s003000050190 )
- ^ PJ Bell, HR Burton, JA van Franeker: Aspects of the biology of Glaciopsyllus antarcticus (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) during the breeding season of a host (Fulmarus glacialoides). Polar Biology, 8 (6), 1988; Pp. 403-410. ( doi: 10.1007 / BF00264716 )
- ^ MD Whitehead, HR Burton, PJ Bell, JPY Arnould, DE Rounsevell: A further contribution on the biology of the Antarctic flea, Glaciopsyllus antarcticus (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae). Polar Biology 11, 1991; Pp. 379-383. ( doi: 10.1007 / BF00239690 )
- ↑ Mark L. Mallory, Mark R. Forbes, Terry D. Galloway: Ectoparasites of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) from the Canadian Arctic. Polar Biology 29 (5), 2006; Pp. 353-357. ( doi: 10.1007 / s00300-005-0063-8 )