title: Fleas parasitizing domestic dogs in Georgia, USA: species composition and seasonal abundance.
abstract: Monthly flea collections were made from domestic dogs in Bulloch County, Georgia, USA from September 1996 to August 2004. A total of 2518 fleas belonging to 8 species were collected. The most common flea was the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (389 males and 1148 females), followed by the dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis (250 males and 285 females), a generalist/carnivore flea, Pulex simulans (106 males and 213 females), and a sticktight flea, Echidnophaga gallinacea (3 males and 89 females). Small numbers of rabbit-associated fleas (25 Cediopsylla simplex and 6 Odontopsyllus multispinosus) and rodent-associated fleas (3 Orchopeas howardi and 1 Polygenis gwyni), suggested that certain dogs had acquired these particular ectoparasites through hunting activities. Sex ratios of each of the five most frequently collected flea species were female-biased. Seasonally, C. felis, C. canis, and P. simulans, all showed distinct abundance peaks in late summer or autumn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8042, Statesboro, GA 30460, USA. ldurden@georgiasouthern.edu
authors.forename: Lance A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Durden
authors.forename: Todd N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Judy
authors.forename: Joy E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Lindsey S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Spedding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D012621:Seasons; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000254:growth & development*; D014505:Urban Population