[Animals] Do sea fleas bite?

[#Wittels-]

In the sea there is a huge number of animals, some of them totally unknown to most of society. One of these is the sea flea, a tiny crustacean that seems to be a major nuisance to some beachgoers, as it is widely believed to cause bites and skin irritation. If when we are on the beach we feel or see any bite or wound, it is very important that we go urgently to a medical center to have a diagnosis and start the most appropriate treatment, since there are a variety of animals that can cause these injuries or we can damage with rocks, abandoned debris, etc.

To find out if sea fleas bite or not, exactly what animals they are and how they feed, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this curious article.

 

Do sea fleas bite?
 
By Brian Calvo Sanchez. July 7, 2022
Do sea fleas bite?
In the sea there is a huge number of animals, some of them totally unknown to most of society. One of these is the sea flea, a tiny crustacean that seems to be a major nuisance to some beachgoers, as it is widely believed to cause bites and skin irritation. If when we are on the beach we feel or see any bite or wound, it is very important that we go urgently to a medical center to have a diagnosis and start the most appropriate treatment, since there are a variety of animals that can cause these injuries or we can damage with rocks, abandoned debris, etc.

To find out if sea fleas bite or not, exactly what animals they are and how they feed, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this curious article.

You may also be interested in: Do cockroaches bite?
Index
Do sea fleas bite or not?
What are sea fleas
what do sea fleas eat
Do sea fleas bite or not?
Although the bites suffered by bathers on beaches are often attributed to them, sea fleas are not dangerous to human health. They cannot be responsible for these bites because they do not sting or bite people, since human skin is not included in their diet and they do not usually defend themselves in this way.

If you have suffered a sting on the beach, it is important that you rule out these animals as the culprits: it was probably another marine animal or an insect that lives in the sand or the plants on the seashore.

What are sea fleas
Sea fleas, whose scientific name is Talitrus saltator, belong to the talitrid group and have these characteristics:

 

They are animals of the group of crustaceans and very active.
Talitrids are part of a family of approximately 300 species.
They live in sand or moist soil, which is why it is common to see them on the beaches.
They are a very important part of the diet of many seabirds and fish.
They reach a length of between 20 and 25 mm.
Despite their small size, sand fleas are capable of jumping over 20 cm.
They are grayish brown in color.
Its body is compressed dorsolaterally and is divided as follows: a head, a thorax or pereon, and the abdomen or pleon. These last two parts are smooth and segmented.
The eyes of sea fleas are black and rounded.
Their head is large in proportion to the rest of the body and they have a very different face from the rest of the crustaceans.
They have drooping mouthparts and a mandible without palps. Its antenna I is noticeably shorter than the peduncle of its antenna II, which is more robust and has a flagellum with a serrated appearance.
Female sand fleas have shorter and less robust antennae than males, although antenna II is longer than antenna I.
In the thorax, they have 7 pairs of similarities, the first two being modified in the form of similar gnatopods in females and males. Of these usually, the first two have a long oval base. The first is robust despite being simple and has an elongated V knuckle. As for the second, the final article is in the form of a mitten. The parts of the abdomen, that is, the walking legs or pereopods, are spiny and robust. The telson is slightly wider than it is long and contains numerous spines.

 

nocturnal activity of sea fleas
Sand fleas have a nocturnal activity that lasts from 6 to 8 hours in the intertidal zone, with a maximum between 1 and 3 hours regardless of the state of the tide. This is a very curious behavior and is due to two purposes:

Prevention of the burial area of the sand fleas from being completely flooded during the next tide.
Maintenance of humidity, since it allows them to carry out their vital functions. It is a necessity as for the rest of the crustacean species.

 

what do sea fleas eat
Sea fleas feed on algae and deteriorating organic debris. In this way, they carry out a task of cleaning the grains of sand from the beaches one by one. The care of their young is very particular, since the females ingest the young so that they feed on their body and, in this way, they ensure a sufficient food source for the young to develop and continue to search for food. It is an act they do instinctively.

By feeding on algae and organic waste accumulated on the seashore, these fleas will define themselves on vulnerable animals, being a perfect food for seagulls and other species.

Now that you know sea fleas well and you know that, although they are compared to fleas, it is not because they sting or bite, but because of their size and their jumps, we recommend you read about the bites of other animals that inhabit beaches and the sea and if they can bite us by accident. Here you can learn about the sea urchin sting, the jellyfish sting and the spider fish sting.

This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. You will appear to a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

 

Link: https://www.mundodeportivo.com/uncomo/salud/articulo/las-pulgas-de-mar-pican-52427.html