Archaeological-record
Guides
Pulex irritans
Human Flea, House Flea
Pulex irritans is a cosmopolitan flea species commonly known as the human flea. Despite its name, it has a broad host range including humans, dogs, cats, livestock, and various wild mammals. The species is thought to have originated in South America, possibly associated with guinea pigs or peccaries as original hosts. It is one of only six species in the genus Pulex, with the other five restricted to Nearctic and Neotropical regions. P. irritans has been found in human archaeological sediments dating back thousands of years in Europe and Greenland, demonstrating its long association with human populations. The species is medically significant as a potential vector of plague (Yersinia pestis), murine typhus, trench fever (Bartonella quintana), flea-borne spotted fever (Rickettsia felis), and the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum.
Typhaea stercorea
Hairy Fungus Beetle
Typhaea stercorea, commonly known as the hairy fungus beetle, is a cosmopolitan beetle in the family Mycetophagidae. Adults measure 2.2–3.0 mm in length and are distinguished by their oval, brown, flattened bodies with hairy elytra bearing parallel lines of fine hairs. The species is a generalist feeder on fungi, particularly molds growing on damp or deteriorating organic matter. It serves as a significant pest of stored grain products, where its presence indicates poor storage conditions, and has been documented in grain storages dating to the Iron Age. The beetle has gained additional attention as a vector of human pathogens, including documented carriage of Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter species.