Sucking lice

From Wikinfo

Anoplura
File:Lice image01.jpg
Template:Taxonomy
Template:Regnum: Animalia Template:Phylum: Arthropoda Template:Classis: Insecta Template:Ordo: Phthiraptera Template:Subordo: Anoplura
Families
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Echinophthiriidae (seal lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Enderleinellidae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Haematopinidae (ungulate lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Hamophthiriidae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Hoplopleuridae (armoured lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Hybothiridae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Linognathidae (pale lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Microthoraciidae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Neolinognathidae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Pecaroecidae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Pedicinidae &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Pediculidae (body lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Phthiridae (public lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Polyplacidae (spiny rat lice) &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp 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.

At least three species of Anoplura are parasites of humans. 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 embarrassing condition known as crabs.

References

• Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Sucking_lice" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucking_lice, used under the GNU Free Documentation License