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Some animals are known to host up to fifteen different species, although one to three is typical for mammals, and two to six for birds. Lice generally cannot survive for long if removed from their host. [5] If their host dies, lice can opportunistically use phoresis to hitch a ride on a fly and attempt to find a new host. [6]
Aside from reproduction, nymph behavior is similar to the adult. Like adults, nymphs feed also only on human blood (hematophagia), and cannot survive long away from a host. [1] Outside their hosts lice cannot survive more than 24 hrs. [23] The time required for head lice to complete their nymph development to the imago lasts for 12–15 days. [1]
When not attached to a human, they are unable to live beyond three days. [5] Humans can also become infected with two other lice – the body louse and the crab louse. To make the diagnosis, live lice must be found. [5] Using a comb can help with detection. [5] Empty eggshells (known as nits) are not sufficient for the diagnosis. [5]
Mallophaga are often adapted to live on a specific part of their host and typically spend their entire lives on a single host. They can only survive for about three days after their host has died, and they typically use phoresis, which is hitching a ride from a fly, as an attempt to reach a new host. Mallophaga may also use the phoresis to ...
Around 7,500 whale lice live on a single whale. [3] With some species of whale louse, whale barnacle infestations play an important role. On the right whale, the parasites live mainly on callosities (raised callus-like patches of skin on the whales' heads). The clusters of white lice contrast with the dark skin of the whale, and help ...
Depending on species and temperature, the life cycle of one of these lice can take about 2 to 4 weeks. Each species tends to favor a different part of the host animal's body; for example, Antarctophthirus ogmirhini lives on the back flippers and tail and Lepidophthirus macrorhini favors the flippers, including the digits and the webbing between ...
Sucking lice (Anoplura, formerly known as Siphunculata) have around 500 species and represent the smaller of the two traditional superfamilies of lice. As opposed to the paraphyletic chewing lice, which are now divided among three suborders, the sucking lice are monophyletic. The Anoplura are all blood-feeding ectoparasites of mammals.
A bird louse is any chewing louse (small, biting insects) of order Phthiraptera which parasitizes warm-blooded animals, especially birds. Bird lice may feed on feathers, skin, or blood. They have no wings, and their biting mouth parts distinguish them from true lice, which suck blood. [1] [2]