Kauaʻi record · KCA-IA-00763
Xenopsylla cheopis
Open this record in the interactive Atlas
About Xenopsylla cheopis
Oriental Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) is a member of Pulicidae in the order Siphonaptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is introduced / adventive.
Oriental Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) is a parasitic flea documented from Kauaʻi in the Bishop Museum synthesis of Hawaiian rodent ectoparasites.
Kauaʻi occurrence evidence: Tenorio & Goff (1980) explicitly list Kauaʻi in the distribution of Xenopsylla cheopis on Hawaiian rodents.
The cited occurrence evidence does not by itself establish current abundance or population trend on Kauaʻi.
Life cycle
Egg; larva; pupa; adult; holometabolous ectoparasite life cycle.
Habitat
Associated with mammal or bird hosts and host bedding/nests; Kauaʻi occurrence is host-associated rather than free-living habitat occupancy.
Food and ecological role
Adults blood-feed on hosts; larvae consume organic debris and flea feces in host environments.
Reproduction
Adults mate on or near hosts; eggs fall into host resting areas; species-specific fecundity requires sourcing.
Movement
Dispersal occurs with hosts and movement among host resting sites; anthropogenic host transport can spread introduced fleas.
Ecosystem role
Ectoparasite; some species have veterinary or disease-vector significance.
Monitoring
Lock modern Kauaʻi locality/voucher detail where available, accepted-name authority, host or microhabitat associations, and exact-taxon public reference media/license.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Xenopsylla cheopis
- Common names
- Oriental Rat Flea
- Family
- Pulicidae
- Order
- Siphonaptera
- Record type
- species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Present / documented
- Origin
- Introduced / adventive
- Conservation status
- Not assessed
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal description
- Oriental Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) is a member of Pulicidae in the order Siphonaptera. Its recorded origin status on Kauaʻi is introduced / adventive.