Lice of

Mammals & Birds

 LICE
Order: PHTHIRAPTERA
Suborders:
ANOPLURA
ISCHNOCERA
AMBLYCERA
RHYNCHOPTHIRINA

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 MORPHOLOGY
Insect
Dorsoventrally flattened
Wingless
EYES – vestigial or absent
Tarsal claws – often enlarged

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 HEAD

CHEWING Lice SUCKING Lice

(mallophaga) (ANOPLURA)

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 CHEWING LICE SUCKING LICE
HEAD  Large, rounded heads  Narrower than
 Broader than the prothorax prothorax

 EYES – reduced or absent  EYES – reduced or

absent
ANTENNAE Amblycera  Clearly visible
-4 segments
-clubbed, underside of head  5 segments

Ischnocera  Composed of:

-3-5 segments • Scape
-filiform, visible at the sides of • Pedicel
the head • Flagellum
THORAX  Prothorax is distinct  Fused
 Mesothorax and
metathorax are fused

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Ocular points

Paratergal plates

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
GONOPODS

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 FEEDING (Mallophaga)
• Hairs and feathers
• Mandible
– most conspicuous
– Cut off pieces of
hairs and feathers
• Maxillae
• Labrum
– Push them into the
mouth

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 FEEDING (Mallophaga)
AMBLYCERA
- Cut in horizontal plane
- Maxillary palps (2-4 segments)

ISCHNOCERA
- Cut vertically
- No maxillary palps

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 FEEDING (Anoplura) Pharynx
• Solenophage Buccal Cavity/Cibarial
Pump

Labrum
• 2 chambered
pump
– Buccal cavity
– Pharynx Prestomal teeth Stylet bundle
or Fascicle

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 FEEDING (Anoplura)  Labrum
Labrum
 Prestomum
 Stylet bundle/Fascicle
 Maxillae – food canal
 Hypopharynx –
passes down salivary
duct
 Labium – bears 3
serrated lobes at its
tip

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

LIFE CYCLE
  Nits/Eggs– cemented onto the hair/feathers
 Nymph (3-5 moulting)
Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Operculum

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
Veterinary Entomology Santiago
Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 RECOGNITION OF LICE OF
VETERINARY IMPORTANCE
 PHTHIRAPTERA
Anoplura Amblycera Ischnocera Rhynchopthirina
 Haematopinidae  Menoponidae  Philopteridae  Haematomyzidae
 Linognathidae  Boopidae  Trichodectidae
 Pediculidae  Gyropidae
 Polyplacidae
 Pthiridae

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Order: PHTHIRAPTERA
I. Suborder Anoplura
II. Suborder Amblycera
III.Suborder Ischnocera
IV.Suborder Rhynchopthirina

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Order: PHTHIRAPTERA
I. Suborder Anoplura
a. Family Haematopinidae
b. Family Linognathidae
c. Family Polyplacidae
d. Family Pediculidae
e. Family Pthiridae

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Order: PHTHIRAPTERA
II. Suborder Amblycera
a. Family Menoponidae
b. Family Boopidae
c. Family Gyropidae

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Order: PHTHIRAPTERA
III. Suborder Ischnocera
a. Family Philopteridae
b. Family Trichodectidae

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Order: PHTHIRAPTERA
IV. Suborder Rhynchopthirina
a. Family Haematomyzidae

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder ANOPLURA
Family: Haematopinidae
1. Haematopinus asini
2. Haematopinus eurysternus
3. Haematopinus quadripertusus
4. Haematopinus suis
5. Haematopinus tuberculatus

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder ANOPLURA
Family: Linognathidae
1. Linognathus africanus
2. Linognathus ovillus
3. Linognathus pedalis
4. Linognathus setosus
5. Linognathus stenopsis
6. Linognathus vituli
7. Linognathus capillatus

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder ANOPLURA
Family: Polyplacidae
1. Polyplax serrata
2. Polyplax spinulosa

Family: Pediculidae
1. Pediculus humanus capitis
2. Pediculus humanus humanus

Family: Pthiridae
1. Pthirus pubis
Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Suborder Amblycera
Family: Menoponidae
1. Menacanthus stramineus
2. Menopon gallinae
3. Trinoton anserinum
4. Trinoton querquedulae

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder Amblycera
Family: Boopidae
1. Heterodoxus spiniger

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder Amblycera
Family: Gyropidae
1. Gyropus ovalis
2. Gliricola porcelli

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder ischnocera
Family: Philopteridae
1. Anaticola anseris
2. Anaticola crassicornis
3. Chelopistes meleagridis
4. Cuclotogaster heterographus
5. Goniocotes gallinae
6. Goniodes dissimilis
7. Goniodes gigas
8. Lipeurus caponis
9. Oxylipeurius polytrapezius

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder ischnocera
Family: Trichodectidae
1. Bovicola bovis
2. Bovicola caprae
3. Bovicola crassipes
4. Bovicola equi
5. Bovicola limbata
6. Bovicola ocellata
7. Bovicola ovis
8. Felicola subrostrata
9. Trichodectes canis

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Suborder RHYNCHOPTHIRINA
Family: Haematomyzidae
1. Haematomyzus elephantis

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

amblycera
Menoponidae. Gyropidae. Boopidae
 Menacanthus stramineus
(“Chicken body louse or Yellow body louse”)

 Antennae hidden in antennal

groove
 4 segmented antennae and club-
shaped
 Maxillary palp: Present
Large ; abdomen w/ dense
covering medium-large setae in
the abdomen

Family: MENOPONIDAE Santiago

 Menopon gallinae (“Shaft louse”)
 Antennae hidden in antennal
groove
 4 segmented antennae and club-
shaped
 Maxillary palp: Present
Small ; abdomen sparse
covering of medium length
setae

Family: MENOPONIDAE Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Gliricola porcelli
Slender
Maxillary palp: 2 segments
Antenna: 4 segments
No tarsal claws
Ventral furrows

Family: GYROPIDAE Santiago

 Gyropus ovali

 Less elongate
 Head: wide w/ projecting
posterior margins
 Maxillary palps: 4 segments
 Club-like antennae: 4 segments
 With single tarsal claws

Family: GYROPIDAE Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Heterodoxus spiniger
2 tarsal claws
Head more or less triangular
Club-shaped

Family: BOOPIDAE Santiago

ischnocera
Philopteridae. Trichodectidae.
 Cuclotogaster sp
(“Chicken head louse”)

 5 segmented antennae are

fully exposed
 2 tarsal claws
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 Hind legs: similar in
length to first two pairs
 3 long bristles projecting
from each side of the
dorsal surface of head

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago

 Lipeurus caponis
(“Slender wing louse”)

 5 segmented antennae are

fully exposed
 2 tarsal claws
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 Hind legs 2x as long as
first 2 pairs

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago

 Lipeurus caponis
(“Slender wing louse”)

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Chelopistes meleagridis
(“Large turkey louse”)

Temporal lobes are

angulate and extend
far backward
projecting criticized
processes

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago

 Chelopistes meleagridis
(“Large turkey louse”)

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago

 Columbicola columbae
(“Slender pigeon louse”)

Elongated head
Temporal lobes are rounded
2 pairs of spines at
anterior portion

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago

 Columbicola columbae
(“Slender pigeon louse”)

The slender pigeon louse, on the flight feathers of a pigeon

Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago
 Goniodes dissimilis
(“Brown chicken louse”)

 Antennae not hidden in

antennal segment
 5 segments of antenna
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 2 tarsal claws
 Hind legs similar in length to
first two pairs
 2 long bristles projecting from
each side of the dorsal surface of
head
 Head w/ prominent angle
Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago
 Goniocotes gallinae
(“Fluff louse”)

 Antennae not hidden in

antennal segment
 5 segments of antenna
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 2 tarsal claws
 Hind legs similar in length to
first two pairs
 2 long bristles projecting from
each side of the dorsal surface of
head
 Head lacking prominent angle
Family: PHILOPTERIDAE Santiago
Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Bovicola sp
 Antennae not hidden in antennal
segment
 3 segments of antenna
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 Single claws
 Head rounded anteriorly
 Small/ medium setae at abdomen

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

 Bovicola bovis

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

 Damalinia equi
 Head is rounded
in front

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

 Damalinia limbata
 Anterior margin of
the head is flattened
or slightly concave

 Pre-antennal region is
expanded and somewhat
pointed

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

 Trichodectes sp
 Antennae not hidden in
antennal segment
 3 segments of antenna
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 Single claws
 Head rounded anteriorly
 Large & thick setae at abdomen

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

 Felicola sp
 Antennae not hidden in
antennal segment
 3 segments of antenna
 Maxillary palps: Absent
 Single claws
 Head : triangular and pointed
anteriorly
 Legs small
 Abdomen smooth

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

 Felicola sp

Mandibles of a mallophagan louse, Felicola subrostratus,

grasping a cat hair.

Family: TRICHODECTIDAE Santiago

ANOPLURA
 Haematopinus sp
Distinct ocular points
Legs of equal size
Distinct paratergal
plates
 Distinct dark-coloured
plates

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Haematopinus suis (“Pig louse”)
Head 2-3x as long as
it is wide
Lacks maxillary palps

Family: HAEMATOPINIDAE Santiago

 Haematopinus asini (“Horse sucking louse”)

Family: HAEMATOPINIDAE Santiago

 Haematopinus eurysternus
(“Short-nosed cattle louse”)

Tuberculate
Head is as long
as it is wide

Family: HAEMATOPINIDAE Santiago

 Haematopinus tuberculatus (“Buffalo louse”)
Head is as long
as it is wide
Tuberculate
More setae in each
paratergal plate

Family: HAEMATOPINIDAE Santiago

 Haematopinus quadripertusus
(“Cattle Tail louse”)

Head is as long as it is
wide
Tuberculate

Family: HAEMATOPINIDAE Santiago

 Linognathus sp
 No ocular points
 Paratergal plates: Absent
 Forelegs small
 Two rows of ventral setae
 Ventral sternal plates of
thorax is narrower/ absent

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Linognathus vituli
(“Lone-nosed cattle louse”)

Fore head acutely

conical & elongated

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

 Linognathus africanus
(“African blue louse”)

Post-antennal region
are strongly convex

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

 Sucking louse species infesting the skin of a calf

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

 Linognathus stenopsis
Post –antennal region
are slightly convex

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

 Linognathus setosus
 Pre-antennal region is
broader than long

 Apically blunt

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

 Solenopotes capillatus
(“Little blue cattle louse”)

 No ocular points
 Forelegs small
 Paratergal plates: Absent
 One row of ventral setae

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

 Solenopotes capillatus
(“Little blue cattle louse”)

Family: LINOGNATHIDAE Santiago

Veterinary Entomology Santiago
 Polyplax sp
No ocular points
Forelegs small
Two rows of
ventral setae
Paratergal plates
present

Family: POLYPLACIDAE Santiago

 Pediculus sp

Family: PEDICULIDAE Santiago

 Pthirus sp

Family: PEDICULIDAE Santiago

 Pthirus sp

Family: PEDICULIDAE Santiago

Rhynchopthirina
 Haematomyzus sp

 Elephants and warthogs

 Elongated mouthparts

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Haematomyzus elephantis
(“Elephant louse”)

• Hairs and debris on

the elephant

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Haematomyzus hopkinsi
 Host: Desert Warthogs
(Phacochoerus aethiopicus)

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

miscellaneous
 Argulus sp.
(“Fish louse”)

 SKIN and FINS

 2 prominent sucking
disks
 Centrally located stylet
 2 dark-colored
eyespots

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Lepeophtheirus spp.
(“Sea louse”)

 SKIN and FINS

 2 long egg sacs
 Cephalothorax

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

 Ergasilus sp.
(“Gill louse”)

 GILLS (rare in skin and fins)

Veterinary Entomology Santiago

FIN