Abstract:

With histochemistry techniques and image analysis of microscope photographs, the distribution and activity of fat and nonspecific esterase (n-E) in newly emerged and sucked adults of rat fleas, Monopsyllus anisus (Rothschild) and Leptopsylla segnis(Schönherr) were studied. The results indicated that in newly emerged fleas of the two species the fat was distributed mainly in fat body, while nonspecific esterase was distributed mainly in salivary glands and nerve chain. After blood meal and digestion, in M.anisus a great deal of fat drops appeared in the midgut and the fat drops decreased as digestion continued, and the activity of nonspecific esterase increased, but there was no significant difference in its activity in different digestion time; while in L. segnis, there was few fat drops in the midgut, and the activity of nonspecific esterase also increased, but its activity was lower than that in M.anisus in the same digestion time. During growing up of the oocytes, the fat drops and activity of nonspecific esterase increased, and the activity of nonspecific esterase in M.anisus was higher than that in L. segnis.

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Key words: Monopsyllus anisus, Leptopsylla segnis, maturation process, fat, nonspecific esterase, histochemistry