How does a louse queen look? - briefly
A female head louse, the egg‑laying adult, measures roughly 2–4 mm, exhibits a tan‑brown, flattened body, and has a noticeably broader, rounded abdomen compared with the male. Its six legs terminate in clawed tarsi that securely grip each hair shaft.
How does a louse queen look? - in detail
The queen of a head‑lice species (Pediculus humanus capitis) is the largest individual in the colony, measuring about 2.5–3 mm in length, roughly twice the size of a worker. Its body is elongated, laterally flattened, and covered with a tough, chitinous exoskeleton that provides protection during egg‑laying. The dorsal surface exhibits a pale, translucent coloration, while the ventral side appears slightly darker due to the presence of internal tissues.
Key morphological traits include:
- Head: Small, rounded, equipped with a pair of short, blunt antennae; compound eyes are reduced, offering limited visual capability.
- Mouthparts: Adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood; the labium is elongated, terminating in sharp stylets.
- Thorax: Consists of three segments (prothorax, mesothorax, metathorax), each bearing a pair of legs that end in hooked claws for clinging to hair shafts.
- Abdomen: Segmented, expanded posteriorly to accommodate a large reproductive tract; the ventral surface bears numerous tiny, egg‑holding structures (ovipositor) that facilitate the deposition of up to 10 eggs per day.
- Egg‑laying apparatus: Prominent, sclerotized, and positioned near the posterior tip, allowing the queen to embed eggs (nits) close to the scalp.
Internally, the queen possesses an enlarged ovary capable of producing up to 30 000 eggs over her lifespan. The reproductive system is linked to a well‑developed muscular sheath that contracts rhythmically during oviposition, ensuring each nit is firmly attached to a hair shaft. The overall anatomy reflects a specialization for fecundity and survival within the human scalp environment.