Sucking louse

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Anoplura
Pediculus humanus
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.

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