Heterodoxus spiniger
Scientific Classification
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Phthiraptera |
| Suborder | Amblycera |
| Family | Boopidae |
Identification
The adults are relatively large at around 5mm in length. They are yellow and the tarsi end in two claws, enabling them to be distinguished from other lice.
Life Cycle
The female produces eggs, which can be found throughout the body of an infected host. Three further nymphal stages are required to produce a mature adult.
Linognathus setosus
| Also known as: | Dog sucking louse |
Scientific Classification
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Phthiraptera |
| Suborder | Amblycera |
| Family | Linognathidae |
Identification
The adults can reach up to 2mm in length, and the first pair of legs are smaller than both the second and third.
Life Cycle
The eggs hatch in around 2 weeks, forming nymphs. The nymphs then undergo three further stages before becoming reproductive adults. This process takes around 2 weeks.
Trichodectes canis
| Also known as: | Dog biting louse |
Scientific Classification
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Phthiraptera |
| Suborder | Ischnocera |
| Family | Trichodectodae |
Identification
The adults are small, yellow lice, measuring around 1.5mm in length. They have short legs, each with a single claw on the end.
Life Cycle
The female is capbale of laying several eggs per day, and usually lives for around a month. The eggs then take around 7-14 days to hatch, and then undergo three subsequent transformations to become a reproducitve adult.