During the summer holidays, many families go on vacation to the seashores, hoping to have a good time surrounded by close people, swim in warm water, sunbathe on the beach. But most of them do not even suspect that the inhabitants live in this flowing sand, from which children can spend hours building towers, castles and sculpting Easter cakes.
Gammarus - who are they?
Few people know that the name of this inhabitant is "sand sea flea." The bites of a small crustacean creature can not only bring pain, but also completely ruin the entire vacation.
In the scientific world, fleas living in sea sand are called gammarus. Few people know about their existence, and even if they have such an idea, they hold an erroneous opinion, thinking that the habitat of small bloodsuckers is somewhere on the far southern shores. This opinion does not coincide with reality. The sandy beaches of the middle lane have become almost dear to gammaruses, and not a single vacationer is safe from the opportunity to get a bite from them.
People permanently living in close proximity to the sea coast are aware of the existence of parasites from the Talitridae family, calling them beach fleas. But the vacationers, and even those who came from far away, hardly realize that the sand under their feet and the algae are simply teeming with these creatures.
Description of appearance
Representatives of gammarus are not so easy to consider. Having dimensions of about 1 mm, parasites are able to jump in length up to 30-40 mm. Such fleas can acrobatic numbers due to their long legs, since they do not have wings. But the length of the jump is forty times the size of a tiny crustacean body.
A closer look reveals the similarity of fleas to shrimp. They have a dark brown color, and the body is divided into segments. The main difference between shrimp and gammarus is size. Sea fleas are much smaller than their relatives. It is believed that parasites belong to the family of ordinary fleas that live in the hair of cats and dogs.
The coastal sand of African, Indian beaches is filled with these inhabitants. They are met in Thailand, Vietnam and the Caribbean. Discarded algae scattered along the coastal line is a favorite place for flea colonies to live. Hiding from sunlight, crustaceans find shelter in algae, as well as food.
By the way, large clusters of amphibiotic crustaceans, while poking around in the sand, make howling quiet sounds, hearing which, it is better to go away from the surf line.
Amphipod crustaceans burrow into deep sand layers before nightfall, but literally with the advent of moonlight they become more active. And during sunrise they crawl to the surface.
Laboratory studies have shown that the creatures described can tolerate temperature fluctuations from 0 to +25 degrees. But digging out of the sand for them is fraught with death.
The danger of flea bites
Sea fleas are capable of inflicting bites on humans. As a rule, this can occur in places where there is an accumulation of such crustaceans. Drinking blood, they leave places of bites, accompanied by itching. It can be firmly said that gammarus is not so harmless for a person.
The photo presented in the article will help to consider his oral apparatus, capable of piercing the skin of the victim. By applying a bite, the female penetrates under the skin and feeds on the blood she needs to mature the future offspring. Due to this, its size increases to the volume of a ripe pea, and after the maturation of the eggs, the flea shoots them, and it perishes, leaving its remains in the skin of the victim. They cause the processes of suppuration and pain.
In medical terminology, an inflamed wound after a flea bite is called sarcopsylosis or tungiosis.
Signs of a female bite
Biting, a small crustacean causes a person a slight discomfort, comparable to a mosquito bite. But if the female bites, then the symptoms change significantly, namely:
- the bite site is swollen;
- there is a white abscess;
- pain is felt;
- the center of the bite is marked by a black dot - the abdomen of the female.
Consequences of a bite
If you neglect the damage by crustaceans of the skin, comb it and do not take any measures, the consequences can be disastrous. In medical practice, there are cases when a sea flea, having bitten a person, provoked the formation of sepsis, which entailed amputation of the toes.
The most accessible places for defeat are the lower limbs, buttocks, inguinal region, the space between the fingers, the lower parts of the ankles.
It is important to remember that when you come to the beach, you should not settle in places where the sand under your feet is covered with algae - the favorite habitat of crustaceans.
Seven Tips for Vacationers
But not everything is so scary, because sea fleas have been coexisting next to humans for centuries. If you follow simple rules of behavior, you can avoid the unpleasant consequences of their bites:
- You should not take walks along the beach area in the early morning and after sunset. This is a flea activity time.
- Remember that algae thrown by the surf are the habitats of gammarus.
- Use special shoes on the beach, do not go bare feet.
- Use chaise lounges for lying.
- Try to relax in specially prepared beach areas.
- After visiting the beach, inspect your body and especially your legs.
- If a sea flea has bitten, consult a doctor.
Bite treatment
In the case of a bite with noticeable redness, skin tightening and pain, do not try to extract the flea yourself. The likelihood of damage to her body is high, since its particles can remain under the skin, causing suppuration. Such manipulation should be carried out at the nearest medical institution.
Itching after a bite will help remove creams with an anesthetic effect and antihistamines. At home, soda compresses will be a good anti-inflammatory agent.
Benefits for beach ecology
Environmental scientists have proven that fleas naturally clean coastal sand by feeding on the microorganisms that live in it. However, they, of course, are unable to process pieces of cigarette gobies, chips, meat - all that negligent vacationers leave behind in the area of the city beach.
Crawling out of their shelters in the evening, crustaceans also clean coastal waters. Small pouches in the forelegs allow them to breathe oxygen.
Do not panic and deprive yourself of sea rest, thinking about bites and their consequences. Gammarus, whose photo you see in the article, is not so scary. If you follow the basic rules of caution, it will not interfere with any rest.
