Louse
Scientific Name: Phthiraptera (Order)
Order & Family: Order: Phthiraptera; Family: Pediculidae (for head/body lice) or Pthiridae (for pubic lice)
Size: 0.5 mm to 8 mm (typically 2-3 mm for species affecting humans)
Natural Habitat
Obligate ectoparasites living exclusively on the skin or among the hair/feathers of a host animal.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (blood-feeding) or scavengers of skin debris and secretions, depending on the species.
Behavior Patterns
They are wingless and move by crawling; they glue their eggs (nits) to host hair shafts or clothing fibers and spend their entire life cycle on the host.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include intense itching, skin irritation, and secondary infections; certain species (body lice) can transmit diseases like epidemic typhus. There are no known benefits to the host.
Identified on: 3/11/2026