Fossils of oldest ever fleas discovered

[truebluefan]

Scientists have unearthed fossils what they believe are of the oldest ever fleas that were about 10 times larger than their modern descendants and feasted on dinosaur blood in ancient China some 150 million years ago.

However, these ancient pesky bloodsuckers lacked the strong hind legs and were not able to jump like today's fleas, the researchers said.

They are the oldest example of bloodsucking parasites in the fossil record, said study researcher Andre Nel of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.

"Their biology and behaviour was certainly different, more like that of a louse creeping among the fur and feathers of the hosts," Nel told LiveScience.


Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ver-fleas-discovered/articleshow/12098830.cms