Chigoe Flea vs Cat Flea
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Chigoe Flea | Cat Flea |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tunga penetrans | Ctenocephalides felis |
| Order | Siphonaptera | Siphonaptera |
| Family | Tungidae | Pulicidae |
| Size | 1 mm | 1.5-3 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Underground |
| Diet | Blood Feeders | Blood Feeders |
| Regions | Africa, South America, Central America | Worldwide |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Chigoe Flea
A tiny tropical flea whose fertilized females burrow into the skin of the feet, causing painful swelling called tungiasis. It is the smallest known flea.
Did You Know?
The female chigoe flea swells to the size of a pea after burrowing into skin, growing to nearly 100 times her unfed volume.
Cat Flea
The most common flea on both cats and dogs worldwide. Can jump up to 150 times its body length. A single female can produce up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime.
Did You Know?
Fleas can jump 150 times their body length — equivalent to a human leaping over a 75-story building. They achieve this using a pad of elastic protein called resilin.