Tunga

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genus of parasitic fleas known for burrowing into the skin of mammals causing irritation and inflammation
2. A type of small, burrowing insect that acts as an external parasite commonly affecting the feet of animals and causing discomfort
3. Refers to a parasitic flea species that embeds itself in host skin, often resulting in swelling and itching in affected areas

Etymology: The name belongs to a small flea that burrows under the skin, and the species best known by it, "Tunga penetrans," gets its specific name from Latin "penetrans," meaning "penetrating." The genus name itself is most likely taken from a Tupi word used by Indigenous peoples of South America for this insect, reaching scientific use through Portuguese-speaking settlers and naturalists who encountered it in Brazil. Here the name is a label for the parasite's most distinctive habit: the pregnant female tunnels into a host's skin, where she swells considerably while she feeds and lays her eggs.

Synonyms: chigoe flea