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Phthiraptera (lice)
Life
> Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa
> Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Phylum:
Arthopoda > Mandibulata >
Atelocerata > Panhexapoda >
Hexapoda
> Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota >
Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Paraneoptera >
Psocodea (booklice and lice)
The majority of louse species are found on birds and to a lesser extent mammals. The
three most important louse species from a human point of view are the head louse Pediculus
capitis, the body louse Pediculus humanus, and the pubic louse Pthirus pubis
(also called crabs). Head lice like even the cleanest
of hair so don't take their presence as a sign of poor hygiene. However, body lice do like
dirty bodies and pubic lice are often associated with sexual promiscuity because they move
from person to person during sexual intercourse (you might be unlucky and pick them up in
a much more innocent fashion but nobody will believe you).
Classification
- Suborder: Amblycera - mainly parasites of birds
- Suborder: Ischnocera - parasites of birds and mammals
- Suborder: Anoplura (sucking lice)
- Family: Pediculidae
- Family: Pthiridae
- Pthirus pubis (pubic louse)
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