Tunga penetrans (Chigoe flea)
Scientific Name: Tunga penetrans
Order & Family: Order: Siphonaptera, Family: Tungidae
Size: Before feeding: approximately 1mm; after burrowing and engorging, the female can grow to the size of a pea (up to 1cm).
Natural Habitat
Found in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in soil or sand in poverty-stricken or rural areas.
Diet & Feeding
Mammalian blood, primarily from humans, pigs, dogs, and cats.
Behavior Patterns
The gravid female flea burrows into the skin of a host, usually the feet. Once inside, she remains fixed, feeding on blood to nourish her eggs. After several weeks, she releases hundreds of eggs through the skin and dies.
Risks & Benefits
Causes tungiasis, resulting in intense itching, pain, and inflammation. If untreated, it can lead to secondary bacterial infections, gangrene, or loss of nails and digits. There are no ecological benefits to humans.
Identified on: 6/29/2026