Field Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates ...

tetanus or gangrene. Minor surgery may be required to extract the embedded flea, and tetanus
prophylaxis and antibiotic treatment may be necessary to prevent secondary infection. The
female tunga flea lays eggs while embedded in the host and dies after about 2 weeks. Tungoe
flea is distributed in tropical and subtropical regions in North and South America, the West
Indies, and Africa.
Figure 219. Chigoes (Tunga penetrans) embedded in toes. Photo: Feldmeir et al.
Figure 220. Chigoes (Tunga penetrans) embedded in fingers. Photo: Feldmeir et al.
Occasionally, people report being bitten by tiny, dark, wingless insects popularly known as "sand
fleas." In the northern United States "sand fleas" usually are cat or dog fleas found in vacant lots
and associated with stray cats or dogs. In the western United States, "sand fleas" may be cat
fleas or human fleas associated with deer, ground squirrels, or prairie dogs. In the southern
United States "sand fleas" are sometimes sticktight fleas, but more commonly are cat or dog
fleas. Along the beaches, tiny crustaceans belonging to the Order Amphipoda occurring
abundantly in sea weed are often called "sand fleas," "sand hoppers," and "beach fleas", but these
animals do not bite people.
Centipedes
Centipedes (Class Chilopoda) are found in a variety of temperate and tropical terrestrial habitats
throughout the world. Body length of these elongate, flattened, and multi-legged animals varies
greatly depending on the species. While most species are small, some tropical species can reach
nearly two feet (600 mm) in length. Centipedes can be distinguished from millipedes in that they
only have one pair of legs per segment rather than two pairs per segment. Although normally
secretive, centipedes are very agile and can move rapidly. They typically seek shelter under