Chego Trouble: Mark Catesby and the Frictions of Representation in Colonial Entomology.

The article examines the complexities surrounding the representation of the chego, or Tunga penetrans, in the context of colonial entomology, particularly through the work of naturalist Mark Catesby. It highlights how the chego, a small flea notorious for infesting the feet of enslaved workers in the Caribbean, posed significant challenges for colonial naturalists attempting to categorize and understand it. The text discusses Catesby's efforts to depict the chego in his "Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands," noting that his representations often failed to accurately convey the insect's characteristics and the ecological realities of colonial life. Furthermore, the article critiques Catesby's omission of Indigenous and Afro-Caribbean knowledge regarding the management of chego infections, revealing how colonial narratives marginalized these contributions while reinforcing racialized perspectives on labor and suffering in the plantation economy. [Extracted from the article]