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The crab louse or pubic louse (Pthirus pubis) is an insect that is an obligate ectoparasite of humans, feeding exclusively on blood. [2] The crab louse usually is found in the person's pubic hair . Although the louse cannot jump, it can also live in other areas of the body that are covered with coarse hair, such as the perianal area , the ...
Pediculosis pubis (also known as "crabs" and "pubic lice") is an infestation by the pubic louse, Pthirus pubis, a wingless insect which feeds on blood and lays its eggs (nits) on mainly pubic hair. Less commonly, hair near the anus, armpit, beard, eyebrows, moustache, and eyelashes may be involved.
Pthirus is a genus of lice. There are only two extant species, and they are the sole known members of the family Pthiridae. [4] Pthirus gorillae infests gorillas, [5] and Pthirus pubis afflicts humans, and is commonly known as the crab louse or pubic louse. [6] The two species diverged some 3.3 million years ago. [7]
P. gorillae and P. pubis (the crab louse) are the only known species that belong to the genus Pthirus, often incorrectly spelled as Phthirus (the Greek word for louse is phthir). [3] It is suggested that it is transmitted among its hosts by social grooming, shared bedding and sexual contact. [4] All species of sucking lice feed on blood. [5]
Louse (pl.: lice) is the common name for any member of the clade Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera has variously been recognized as an order, infraorder, or a parvorder, as a result of developments in phylogenetic research. [1] [2] [3]
Sucking lice (Anoplura, formerly known as Siphunculata) ... Pthirus pubis (the human pubic louse) is the cause of the condition known as crabs. Families
The head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is an obligate ectoparasite of humans. [1] Head lice are wingless insects that spend their entire lives on the human scalp and feed exclusively on human blood. [1] Humans are the only known hosts of this specific parasite, while chimpanzees and bonobos host a closely related species, Pediculus schaeffi.
Pedicinus is a genus of sucking louse, the only genus in the family Pedicinidae. [2] Species belonging to this genus are found on Old World monkeys and apes of different kinds. [3] [4] Pedicinus, along with its sister genus Pthirus, are believed to have diverged from their common ancestor approximately 22.5-2.5 million years ago.