Pubic louse (Crab louse)

Found primarily in human pubic hair, but can also inhabit other coarse body hair such as eyelashes, eyebrows, beard, and chest hair.

Obligatory hematophages, meaning they feed exclusively on human blood several times a day.

They are relatively immobile once attached to a hair shaft. They move by crawling from hair to hair and are mainly transmitted through close physical contact, particularly sexual contact. They cannot jump or fly.

They cause intense itching (pruritus) due to an allergic reaction to their saliva. While they do not transmit diseases, scratching can lead to secondary bacterial skin infections. They provide no ecosystem benefits.