Flea
n.
An insect belonging to the genus Pulex , of the order Aphaniptera . Fleas are destitute of wings, but have the power of leaping energetically. The bite is poisonous to most persons. The human flea ( Pulex irritans ), abundant in Europe, is rare in America, where the dog flea ( Ctenocephalides canis , formerly Pulex canis ) and the smaller cat flea ( Ctenocephalides felis ) take its place. See Aphaniptera , and Dog flea . See Illustration in Appendix.
|