New study reveals the position of fleas on tree of life; here is all that you need to know

A new University of Bristol study, published in journal Palaeoentomology, was focussed on largest insect molecular dataset available. It was furr analysed using new statistical methods, which included more sophisticated algorithms. objective of study was to test all proposed hyposes about placement of fleas on insect tree of life. However, it also expounded a few new relationships. 

A new relationship established 

As per authors of study, it was revealed that fleas are technically scorpionflies. This revelation completely turned down all existing tions about flea’s existence. According to study, species evolved when y started feeding on blood of vertebrates sometime between Permian and Jurassic, which was somewhere in between 290 and 165 million years ago. lead author of study, Erik Tihelka from   School of Earth Sciences said, “Of all parasites in animal kingdom, fleas hold a pre-eminent position. Black Death, caused by a flea-transmitted bacterium, was deadliest pandemic in recorded history of mankind; it claimed lives of possibly up to 200 million people in 14th century”. She added, “Yet despite ir medical significance, placement of fleas on tree of life represents one of most persistent enigmas in evolution of insects”. 

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It was also discovered that closest relatives of fleas are members of scorpionfly family Nanchoristidae. This is a rare group which has only seven native species in sourn hemisphere. Also, adult nanchoristid scorpionflies have a peaceful existence feeding on nectar. 

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A PhD student at University of Bristol who participated in study, Mattia Giacomelli, said, “It seems that elongate mouthparts that are specialized for nectar-feeding from flowers can become co-opted during course evolution to enable sucking blood”. As per previous studies, a connection was established between fleas and scorpionflies. However, ir exact relationship was never established. Chenyang Cai, associate professor at Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (NIGP) and a research fellow at University of Bristol specialising on Mesozoic insects said, “ new results suggest that we may need to revise our entomology textbooks. Fleas longer deserve status of a separate insect order, but should actually be classified within scorpionflies”.

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