Animal Profiles
Insects

Louse

Phthiraptera

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Lice are small parasitic insects. This account follows the human louse (Pediculus humanus), whose head and body forms depend closely on human hosts.

Magnified photograph of Pediculus humanus, the representative described here.

Magnified photograph of Pediculus humanus, the representative described here.

Gilles San Martin · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
Human lice occur worldwide.
Habitat
Towns and cities
Diet
Carnivore
Food
These lice feed on human blood.

Classification

Common name
Louse
Browse group
Insects
Scientific name or taxon
Phthiraptera

Three things to know

  • They are wingless insects.
  • Gripping claws hold hair or fibres.
  • Their food is human blood.

Habitat and range

Human lice occur worldwide. Head lice remain among scalp hairs, while body lice live mainly in clothing close to the skin and move onto the host to feed.

Appearance and adaptations

A flattened, wingless body carries six legs with strong gripping claws. Piercing mouthparts obtain blood, and eggs are attached to hair or clothing according to the form.

Diet and behaviour

These lice feed on human blood. Crawling rather than jumping provides movement between suitable surfaces. The head and body forms differ chiefly in where they live on or around their host.

Sources

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