What do body lice look like? - briefly
Body lice are wingless, oval insects about 2–4 mm long, gray‑brown in color, with six legs ending in clawed tarsi that grasp hair shafts. Their bodies are covered with fine hairs and a translucent exoskeleton that darkens after feeding.
What do body lice look like? - in detail
Body lice (Pediculus humanus corporis) are small, wingless insects that feed exclusively on human blood. Adults measure 2–4 mm in length, slightly larger than head lice, and display a flattened, elongated body adapted for moving through clothing fibers.
Key visual characteristics include:
- Coloration: Reddish‑brown to grayish, becoming paler after a blood meal; abdomen may appear engorged and darker.
- Head: Small, rounded, lacking visible eyes; antennae consist of five segments, the terminal segment bearing a sensory bristle.
- Thorax: Six legs, each ending in a claw that grips fabric; legs are shorter than those of head lice, reflecting a reduced need for rapid movement.
- Abdomen: Segmented, with visible dorsal plates (tergites); after feeding, the abdomen expands and may show a mottled appearance.
- Sexual dimorphism: Females are larger and more robust; males possess slightly longer antennae and more pronounced genitalia visible at the posterior end.
Nymphal stages resemble miniature adults, progressing through three molts. Nymphs are 1–2 mm long, lighter in color, and lack fully developed reproductive structures. Eggs (nits) are oval, 0.5 mm in length, cemented to clothing seams rather than hair shafts; they appear whitish and are often misidentified as lint.
Body lice differ from head lice by size, leg length, and habitat: they inhabit seams of garments, not scalp hair, and lack the ability to survive long away from the host. Their morphology reflects adaptation to a clothing‑based environment and a strictly hematophagous lifestyle.