The Amblycera are a large

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

chewing lice The Mallophaga are a possibly paraphyletic section of lice Louse ( : 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 reco ...

, parasitic on both birds and

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s. The Amblycera are considered the most primitive clade of

lice Louse ( : 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 o ...

Description

These insects are very much like the familiar advanced

sucking lice 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, ...

, except they do not stay on their host permanently. They roam freely over the surface of their

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Host ...

and, unlike other lice, do not form permanent attachments. They feed by chewing soft areas of skin, causing an area of localized bleeding from which they drink. Species of this group have

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

e but they cannot readily be seen because they lie in grooves in the side of the head. Usually the antennae of Amblycera composes 4-5 segments. The

maxillary palp Maxillary means "related to the maxilla (upper jaw bone)". Terms containing "maxillary" include: *Maxillary artery *Maxillary nerve *Maxillary prominence *Maxillary sinus {{disambig ...

s may, however, be present and these may be visible in mounted specimens but may be confused with the antennae. Palps of amblycerans ranges in segments from two to five. The mandibles of Amblycera bite horizontally. The head is often broader and rounder

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

ly than of

Anoplura Sucking lice (Anoplura, formerly known as Siphunculata) have around 500 species and represent the smaller of the two traditional superfamily (taxonomy), superfamilies of lice. As opposed to the paraphyletic chewing lice, which are now divided amo ...

but this morphologic difference is not reliable. The tarsi of species that parasitise birds have two claws, while of those that parasitise mammals have one only.Solsby, 1982

Families

The Amblycera are divided into the following families: * Ancistronidae * Boopidae Mjoberg, 1910 * Colpocephalidae Eichler, 1937 * Gliricolidae *

Gyropidae Gyropidae is a family (biology), family of lice in the order (biology), order Psocodea. There are about 9 genera and more than 90 described species in Gyropidae. Genera These nine genera belong to the family Gyropidae: * ''Abrocomophaga'' Emerso ...

Kellogg, 1896 * Laemobothriidae Mjoberg, 1910 *

Menoponidae Menoponidae is a monophyletic family of lice in the superfamily of chewing lice, Amblycera, often referred to as the chicken body louse family. They are ectoparasites of a wide range of birds including chickens, which makes them important to und ...

Mjoberg, 1910 * Pseudomenoponidae Mjoberg, 1910 *

Ricinidae The Ricinidae are a family of a larger group Amblycera of the chewing lice. Most commonly they are ectoparasites of birds. The family includes the genus ''Ricinus ''Ricinus communis'', the castor bean or castor oil plant, is a species of p ...

Neumann, 1890 * Somaphantidae Eichler, 1941 *

Trimenoponidae Trimenoponidae is a family (biology), family of lice in the order (biology), order Psocodea. There are about 6 genera and 18 described species in Trimenoponidae. Genera These six genera belong to the family Trimenoponidae: * ''Chinchillophaga'' ...

* Trinotonidae Eichler, 1941

Significant species

Notable Amblycera that parasitise birds: * '' Holomenopon leucoxanthum'' (Burmeister, 1838) – cause of "wet feathers" of ducks * ''

Menopon gallinae ''Menopon'' is a genus of lice belonging to the family Menoponidae Menoponidae is a monophyletic family of lice in the superfamily of chewing lice, Amblycera, often referred to as the chicken body louse family. They are ectoparasites of a ...

'' (Linnaeus, 1958) – the "shaft louse" of poultry, pale yellow in color * ''

Menopon phaeostomum ''Menopon'' is a genus of lice belonging to the family Menoponidae. The species of this genus are found in Europe, Northern America, Southwestern Asia. Species: *''Menopon carrikeri'' *''Menopon clayae'' *''Menopon deryloi'' *''Menopon ferri ...

'' (Nitzsch, 1818) – usually occurs on peafowl * '' Menecanthus stramineus'' (Nitzsch, 1818) – the yellow "body louse" of poultry * '' Trinoton anserinum'' (J.C.Fabricus, 1805) – may be found on ducks and

swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

s Notable species that parasitise

s: * '' Gliricola porcelli'' (Linnaeus, 1758) – on

guinea-pig The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus ''Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the ani ...

s * '' Gyropus ovalis'' (Nitzsch, 1818) – on guinea-pigs * '' Heterodoxus longitarsus'' (Piaget, 1880) – on Macropodidae (wallabies and kangaroos) * '' Heterodoxus macropus'' (Le Souef & Bullen, 1902) – on Macropodidae * '' Heterodoxus spiniger'' (Enderlein, 1909) – common on dogs in warm countries (between

latitudes In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...

40° north and 40° south) * '' Trimenopon hispidium'' (Burmeister, 1838) – on guinea-pigs

References

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1936744 Lice Unranked clades