Some ecological parameters of Ctenocephalides felis strongylus (Jordan, 1925) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

Among the fleas of medico-veterinary interest, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché, 1 835) is the one most studied. This taxon includes two subspecies: Ctenocephalides f. felis, and Ctenocephalides f. strongylus (Jordan, 1925); only C. f. felis has been the subject of almost all the studies available. We were, thus, interested in C. f. strongylus which can be regarded as the species of substitution of C. f. felis on the African continent. The purpose of our work was to establish some biological parameters such as: hatching of eggs, cycle of development and emergence of adults. These data were compared with those available on C. f. felis. With temperatures ranging between 19 degrees C and 29 degrees C and a relative humidity (HR) of 75 % +/- 5, the hatching rates of eggs observed from the two subspecies of C. felis, are higher than 88 %. The optimal temperature of eggs hatching for C. felis is 29 degrees C, with more than 70 % of hatching obtained in 1-2 days after the laying. The larval developments of the two subspecies are almost identical and function of the temperature 18-9 days with 27 degrees C). Only differs the minimal duration of the progressive cycle. For C. f. strongylus, it lasts in 16-17 days at 29 degrees C, 20-21 days at 27 degrees C and 38 days at 19 degrees C. For C. f. felis, published values give report of 15 days at 27 degrees C and 17 days at 24 degrees C. The emergence of adults of C. f. strongylus takes eight to ten days between 19 degrees C and 29 degrees C, while data published on C. f. felis are about 26 days at 19 degrees C and 15 days at 27 degrees C.