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Flea

Flea is the common name for any of the small wingless insects of the order Siphonaptera.

Note: The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Flea", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

For more information, see the following related content on ScienceDaily:

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Study Resolves the Position of Fleas on the Tree of Life

Dec. 21, 2020 — A study of more than 1,400 protein-coding genes of fleas has resolved one of the longest standing mysteries in the evolution of insects, reordering their placement in the tree of life and pinpointing ...

Study Probes How Plague Spreads Through Wild Rodent Populations

Dec. 15, 2022 — Mathematical modeling reveals how fleas with early-stage Yersinia pestis infections are insufficient to drive epizootic outbreaks but can help promote a low level of enzootic ...

Behold the Humble Water Flea, Locked in a Battle of Mythological Proportions

Sep. 20, 2021 — Biologists sized up an unlikely natural phenomenon: when parasitism actually causes the number of hosts to increase, an effect known as a hydra effect. A study of common water fleas and their fungal ...

Earliest-Known Fossil Mosquito Suggests Males Were Bloodsuckers Too

Dec. 4, 2023 — Researchers have found the earliest-known fossil mosquito in Lower Cretaceous amber from Lebanon. What's more, the well-preserved insects are two males of the same species with piercing ...

Using Water Fleas, Researchers Investigate Adaptive Evolution

Dec. 11, 2020 — Researchers resurrected the preserved eggs of a shrimp-like crustacean to examine long-standing questions about adaptive ...

Waterfleas Hold Key to Cleaner Environment and Better Human Health

Sep. 25, 2023 — Tiny waterfleas could play a pivotal role in removing persistent chemical pollutants from wastewater -- making it safe to use in factories, farms and homes, a new study ...

Epigenetic Effects of Pollution Persist for Multiple Generations in Water Fleas

Feb. 10, 2022 — A new study has shown that the effects of pollutants can be transmitted over many generations in water fleas and may persist long enough to influence the evolutionary process. The research adds new ...

This Is How Water Fleas Defend Themselves Against Carnivorous Plants

July 13, 2022 — Fleas are only a few millimeters in size. But they do have a whole arsenal of defenses -- even against aggressive ...

Food Size Matters

July 19, 2023 — Prey size and risk of predation are strongly related to the medium-sized Daphnia -- a small, planktonic crustacean -- targeted by aquatic insects and fish. This phenotypic plasticity has been shown ...

Zoologist Solves the 100-Year-Old Mystery of the Floating Phantom Midge

Jan. 26, 2022 — The freshwater aquatic larvae of the Chaoborus midge are the world's only truly planktonic insects, regulating their buoyancy using two pairs of internal air-filled sacs, one in the thorax and ...

Plants & Animals News

December 9, 2023

'Shocking' Discovery: Electricity from Electric Eels May Transfer Genetic Material to Nearby Animals

Dec. 5, 2023 — Researchers have discovered that electric eels can alter the genes of tiny fish larvae with their electric shock. Their findings help to better understand electroporation, a method by which genes can ...

Mice Pass the Mirror Test, a Classic Indicator of Self-Recognition

Dec. 5, 2023 — Researchers report that mice display behavior that resembles self-recognition when they see themselves in the mirror. When the researchers marked the foreheads of black-furred mice with a spot of white ink, the mice spent more time grooming their ...

More Than a Meteorite: New Clues About the Demise of Dinosaurs

Dec. 4, 2023 — What wiped out the dinosaurs? A meteorite plummeting to Earth is only part of the story, a new study suggests. Climate change triggered by massive volcanic eruptions may have ultimately set the stage for the dinosaur extinction, challenging the ...

Twin Research Indicates That a Vegan Diet Improves Cardiovascular Health

Nov. 30, 2023 — A recent trial of identical twins comparing vegan and omnivore diets found that a vegan diet improves overall cardiovascular ...

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New Insights Into Zebra Mussel Attachment Fibers Offer Potential Solutions to Combat Invasive Species, Develop Sustainable Materials

Dec. 8, 2023 — A recent study has revealed that an unlikely event, occurring over 12 million years ago played an important role in shaping one of Canada's most ...

Manipulation of Gut Microbiota With Flaxseed Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

Dec. 7, 2023 — A new study demonstrates that the human gut microbiome may be a factor in breast ...

Tiny Llama Nanobodies Neutralize Different Noroviruses: Can They Improve Human Anti-Viral Therapies?

Dec. 7, 2023 — Researchers investigated a novel strategy to neutralize human noroviruses. They tested the ability of tiny antibodies produced by llamas, called ...

Protected Areas in Thailand Are at a Higher Risk of Forest Fires When Located Away from Indigenous Communities

Dec. 7, 2023 — Research has found that national parks and protected areas are at a higher risk of forest fires when located farther away from indigenous ...

Zika's Shape-Shifting Machinery, and a Possible Vulnerability

Dec. 8, 2023 — Viruses have limited genetic material -- and few proteins -- so all the pieces must work extra hard. Zika is a great example; the virus only produces 10 proteins. Now researchers have shown how the ...

Suburban Backyard Home to More Than 1,000 Species

Dec. 8, 2023 — A challenge among three housemates to identify species around their inner-Brisbane home has resulted in an academic research paper, showcasing the rich biodiversity in urban landscapes. ...

How Immune Cells Recognize Their Enemies

Dec. 8, 2023 — In order for immune cells to do their job, they need to know against whom they should direct their attack. Research teams a have identified new details in this ...

Adapting to Hypoxia: Zooplankton Influence the Efficiency of the Biological Carbon Pump in the Humboldt Current Off Peru

Dec. 8, 2023 — Marine organisms play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. Phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it in organic ...

Immersive VR Goggles for Mice Unlock New Potential for Brain Science

Dec. 8, 2023 — New miniature virtual reality (VR) goggles provide more immersive experiences for mice living in laboratory settings. By more faithfully simulating natural environments, the researchers can more ...

Climate Change Will Increase Wildfire Risk and Lengthen Fire Seasons

Dec. 8, 2023 — Wildfires are some of the most destructive natural disasters in the country, threatening lives, destroying homes and infrastructure, and creating air pollution. In order to properly forecast and ...