Lice Flashcards
Describe the general features of lice
- Phthiraptera
- Hemimetabola
- Love close to skin
- Lay eggs
- Highly specialised
- Limited/single host species range
- Split into chewing vs sucking lice
Describe the basic morphology of lice
- Claws
- Dorso-ventrally flattened
- Wingless
- Mouthparts adapted to chewing or sucking
Describe the appearance of louse eggs
- Pale, translucent
- Suboval
- Firmly glued to hairs near skin
- Chicken lice lay eggs in large maasses at base of feathers
How are lice transmitted?
Direct contact
Describe the 3 types of lice found on humans
- Head, body, pubic
- Head and body are different morphotimes of the same species
- Head: Pediculus humanus capitus
- Body: Pediculus humans corporis
- Pubic: Phthirus pubis
What are the suborders of lice?
- Anoplura (sucking lice)
- Rhynchophthirina (elephant and warthog lice)
- Amblycera and Ischnocera (chewing lice)
Name the genuses of sucking lice
- Haematopinus
- Linognathus
What are the host species for Haematopinus?
- Pigs
- Cattle
- Horses
What are the host species for Linognathus?
- Cattle
- Sheep
- Goats
- Dogs
Name the genuses of chewing lice
- Damalina (Bovicola)
- Felicola
- Trichodectes
- Lipeurus
- Cuclogaster
- Menacanthus
- Glyricola
- Gyropus
What genus of chewing lice are found in cattle, sheep, goats and horses?
Damalina (Bovicola)
What genus of chewing lice are found in cats?
Felicola
What genus of chewing lice are found in dogs?
Trichodectes
What genuses of chewing lice are found in domestic birds?
- Lipeurus
- Cuclotogaster
- Menacanthus
What genuses of chewing lice are found in guinea pigs?
- Gliricola
- Gyropus