An Unusual Case of Teratology in Siphonaptera

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Abstract
Most systematists occasionally come upon abnormal specimens of species belonging to the groups they study. Such specimens, depending on the nature of the abnormality, may be of only psssing interest as curiosities, or may be considered of sufficient importance to report in the literature. Several authors have recorded cases of teratology in the fleas, most of the cases concerning duplication of an organ (usually the spermatheca of the female). castration of the male by nematodes, or variability in the numbers of ctenidial spines. Smit (1949) reviewed the scant literature and later published several additional papers on monstrosities in Siphonaptera.
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