Jigger flea / Chigoe flea
Scientific Name: Tunga penetrans
Order & Family: Order: Siphonaptera, Family: Tungidae
Size: Approximately 1 mm (unfed), but the female can swell to the size of a pea (up to 10 mm) when engorged with eggs under the skin.
Natural Habitat
Found in dry, sandy soil, dust, and floors in tropical and subtropical regions including parts of Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.
Diet & Feeding
Both sexes feed on blood of warm-blooded hosts; the female embeds herself in the host's skin to feed and mature eggs.
Behavior Patterns
Unlike other fleas, the female burrows into the skin of a host (often the feet) where she stays for life. She produces thousands of eggs which are shed into the environment as she remains embedded.
Risks & Benefits
Causes tungiasis, resulting in severe inflammation, itching, and pain. It can lead to secondary infections like tetanus or gangrene if left untreated. There are no known benefits to the ecosystem or humans.
Identified on: 2/4/2026