How do you identify phthiraptera?
Phthiraptera (theer-AP-tera) are small (0.5 mm – 8 mm long), wingless, blind, parasitic insects. True lice have simple metamorphosis, the female glues eggs to feathers or hairs (or cloths in the case of humans), immatures look similar to adults, and they have three instars before becoming adults.
What is the scientific name of sucking lice?
AnopluraSucking louse / Scientific name
Lice. Two species of sucking lice (insect order Phthiraptera, previously known as Anoplura) are parasites of humans – head and body lice both being varieties of one species, Pediculus humanus, and pubic lice, Phthirus pubis (Figs 124.1 and 124.2).
What do mallophaga feed on?
Order Mallophaga They have chewing mouthparts and feed on bits of hair, feathers, scales and dried blood. They develop with gradual metamorphosis, the life stages being the egg, nymph, and adult. All adults are wingless. Chewing lice attack all kinds of wild and domesticated birds as well as many of the common mammals.
What are the two different orders of lice?
Recent taxonomic changes have complicated the orders and suborders of lice. In general, lice are divided into two categories: bloodsucking (or sucking) lice (order Anoplura) and chewing (or biting) lice (formerly the order Mallophaga, now composed of three suborders).
What is the meaning of Phthiraptera?
Parasitic Lice / Biting Lice / Sucking Lice. The name Phthiraptera is derived from the Greek “phthir” meaning lice and “aptera” meaning wingless. The literal translation, wingless lice, is appropriate for all members of the order.
What are the characteristics of psocoptera?
Physical Features
- Head prominent, with thread-like antennae.
- Narrow “neck” between head and thorax.
- Two pairs of wings; some species are wingless.
- Front wings larger than hind wings; venation reduced.
- Wings held tent-like over the body.
- Tarsi 2- or 3-segmented.
Can chewing lice live on humans?
Lice are parasites that live on the skin. Most are harmless to overall health, but they cause tiny bites, which can be bothersome. There are two kinds of lice: chewing lice, which feed on the skin and debris, and sucking lice, which feed on the blood. Only sucking lice live on humans.
Is mallophaga a family?
The Mallophaga are a section of lice, known as chewing lice, biting lice, or bird lice, containing more than 3000 species. These lice are external parasites that feed mainly on birds, although some species also feed on mammals….
| Mallophaga | |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Psocodea |
| Parvorder: | Phthiraptera |
Why are there 3 types of lice?
We’ve got three different kinds of lice because, unlike our closest relatives, we aren’t covered head-to-toe in a furry coat. Each louse species is adapted to its particular niche in our body; by working out their evolutionary history, we can learn something about when those niches appeared.
What are the 3 types of lice?
The 3 types of human lice include the head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis), the body louse (Pediculus humanus corporis), and the crab louse (Pthirus pubis).
What is the importance of lice?
louse is the important species involved in actual epidemics of epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Louse control, and hence the control of epidemic typhus, has been simplified by the development of DDT, lindane, and other chlorinated hydrocarbons.
What is Mallophaga in biology?
Mallophaga (biting or chewing lice) is a group of obligatory ectoparasites mainly of birds and to a lesser extent (only 12%) of mammals. The large diversity of avian mallophaga of more than 3800 different species in 253 genera can be explained by the strict stenoxeny of most species and their presence in nearly all bird species.
Is the modern taxonomy of the Mallophaga under serious revision?
The modern taxonomy of the mallophaga is under serious revision. There is considerable argument to suggest that the Sucking Lice (Anoplura) and the Biting Lice (Mallophaga) are part of a single order, the ‘Phthiraptera’.
What are Mallophaga lice?
The Mallophaga are a suborder of lice, known as chewing lice, biting lice, or bird lice, containing more than 3000 species. These lice are external parasites that feed mainly on birds, although some species also feed on mammals. They infest both domestic and wild mammals and birds, and cause considerable irritation to their hosts.
What are the different families of Mallophaga?
Mallophaga of veterinary significance are typically placed in five families: the Boopiidae, Gyropidae, Menoponidae, Philopteridae, and Trichodectidae ( Table I ). TABLE II. Classification and Hosts of Sucking Lice (Anoplura) of Medical and Veterinary Importance