Includes the cat and dog fleas. The dog flea, C. canis, Dugès, is found on the dog all over the world, but especially in temperate climates. It also occurs on rats. Man is often badly bitten by this insect and it overruns houses. The eggs are laid on rugs, carpets and dust and dirt and amongst dogs’ hair, but are not fastened to it and fall anywhere. The ova may hatch in about fifty hours and the larvæ live for seven days and then spin their cocoons amongst dust and dirt. The pupal stage lasts about eight days.
The cat flea (C. felis) is widely distributed over the world, and occurs on many mammals beyond the cat, and is also found on rats.
Genus. Hoplopsyllus, Baker.
A genus found in North America related to Pulex, but at once recognized by the prothorax bearing a comb.
Hoplopsyllus anomalus, Baker,
which is found on the ground squirrel (Citellus beecheyi) in California, and according to Rothschild once found on the rat, has been proved to carry the plague bacillus and to play an important part in plague infection in California.[378]
Genus. Ceratophyllus, Centis.
Ceratophyllus fasciatus, Bosc.
This flea is also found on the rat in Europe and will attack man. It is a plague carrier. It has eighteen to twenty teeth on the prothoracic comb and no black spines on the head. The genus Ceratophyllus of Centis has a pronotal comb and three ante-pygidial chætæ on each side. Two other specimens recorded: C. londiniensis, Rothsch., and C. anisus, Rothsch. The former on rats and mice in London, the latter on Felis sp. from Japan and Mus norvegicus in California.
Genus. Ctenopsylla, Kolen.