Tunga penetrans
Species of flea / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tunga penetrans is a species of flea also known as the jigger, jigger flea, chigoe, chigo, chigoe flea, chigo flea, nigua, niknik, sand flea, or burrowing flea. It is a parasitic insect found in most tropical and sub-tropical climates. In its parasitic phase it has significant impact on its hosts, which include humans and certain other mammalian species. A parasitical infestation of T. penetrans is called tungiasis. Jiggers are often confused with chiggers, a type of mite. Jiggers are native to Central and South America, and have been introduced to sub-Saharan Africa.[1]
Jigger flea | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Siphonaptera |
Family: | Hectopsyllidae |
Genus: | Tunga |
Species: | T. penetrans |
Binomial name | |
Tunga penetrans | |
Synonyms for Tunga penetrans include Sarcopsylla penetrans, Pulex penetrates, and many others.[2]