Chigoe flea
Scientific Name: Tunga penetrans
Order & Family: Siphonaptera, Tungidae
Size: Approximately 1 mm in length; gravid females can swell to the size of a pea (up to 10 mm).
Natural Habitat
Dry, sandy soil and dust in tropical and subtropical regions, often near human dwellings or livestock.
Diet & Feeding
Males and non-breeding females feed on host blood; the embedded female feeds on blood and skin tissues.
Behavior Patterns
The female burrows into the soft skin of a host (typically the feet) and stays there while its abdomen swells with eggs, eventually releasing them through a small opening.
Risks & Benefits
Causes tungiasis, a painful inflammatory skin disease; can lead to secondary bacterial infections, ulceration, and in severe cases, gangrene or loss of digits.
Identified on: 1/3/2026