What do comb lice look like? - briefly
Comb lice are tiny, elongated insects about 2–3 mm long, with a pale yellow‑brown body, six legs ending in claw‑like tarsi, short antennae, and no wings, allowing them to cling to hair shafts. They appear as small, moving specks near the scalp, often visible only when hair is closely examined.
What do comb lice look like? - in detail
Comb lice are minute ectoparasites, typically measuring 2–3 mm in length. Their bodies are flattened laterally, giving a streamlined silhouette that eases movement through hair shafts. The exoskeleton appears translucent to pale gray, often taking on a slightly brownish hue after a blood meal.
Key visual traits include:
- Head: Small, rounded, equipped with a pair of short antennae tipped with sensory pits.
- Mouthparts: Piercing‑sucking apparatus positioned ventrally, designed for accessing scalp blood vessels.
- Thorax: Broadens into three distinct segments, each bearing a pair of legs. Legs end in claw‑like tarsi that cling tightly to hair strands.
- Abdomen: Segmented, tapering toward the posterior; the dorsal surface bears fine, light‑colored setae, while the ventral side may appear smoother.
- Sexual dimorphism: Females are slightly larger and more robust; males are marginally smaller and may exhibit a lighter coloration.
When transferred to a comb, the insects often appear as tiny, moving specks that dart between teeth. Nits—oval, cement‑attached eggs—measure about 0.8 mm, are whitish or yellowish, and cling firmly to the comb’s teeth, resembling miniature shells. Their shells are smooth, slightly convex, and can be distinguished from adult lice by the absence of legs and a more rigid structure.
Observing these characteristics under magnification confirms the presence of comb‑associated lice and differentiates them from debris or other insects.