sucking louse

Anoplura
Pediculus humanus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Phthiraptera Suborder: Anoplura
Families
Echinophthiriidae (seal lice) Enderleinellidae Haematopinidae (ungulate lice) Hamophthiriidae Hoplopleuridae (armoured lice) Hybothiridae Linognathidae (pale lice) Microthoraciidae Neolinognathidae Pecaroecidae Pedicinidae Pediculidae (body lice) Phthiridae (pubic lice) Polyplacidae (spiny rat lice) Ratemiidae

Sucking lice (Anoplura) have around 500 species and represent the smaller of the two traditional suborders of lice. The Anoplura are all blood-feeding ectoparasites of mammals. They can cause localised skin irritations and are vectors of several blood-borne diseases.

Children appear particularly susceptible to attracting lice, possibly due to their fine hair.

At least three species of Anoplura are parasites of humans; the human condition of being infested with sucking lice is called pediculosis. Pediculus humanus is divided into two subspecies, Pediculus humanus humanus, or the body louse, sometimes nicknamed "the seam squirrel" for its habit of laying of eggs in the seams of clothing, and Pediculus humanus capitis, or the head louse. Phthirus pubis (the pubic louse) is the cause of the condition known as crabs.

External links

• Solenopotes capillatus, little blue cattle louse on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site

See also

• See alsoUse of DNA in forensic entomology

This article related to parasites or parasitology is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.