What do lice on guinea pigs look like? - briefly
Guinea‑pig lice are tiny, flat, wingless insects about 1–2 mm long, gray‑brown to translucent, with a tapered abdomen and clearly visible legs. They congregate in the fur, especially around the neck, back, and base of the tail, and move rapidly when the host is disturbed.
What do lice on guinea pigs look like? - in detail
Lice that infest guinea pigs are tiny, wing‑less insects belonging to the suborder Anoplura. Adults measure 1.5–2 mm in length, roughly the size of a grain of rice, and have an elongated, flattened body adapted for moving through dense fur. Their coloration ranges from light gray to brown, often matching the host’s coat, which helps conceal them.
Key visual features include:
- Head: Small, rounded, with prominent, forward‑projecting antennae that are barely visible without magnification.
- Mouthparts: Piercing‑sucking stylets used to feed on blood; these are concealed beneath the head capsule.
- Thorax: Six short legs, each ending in claw‑like tarsi that grip hair shafts.
- Abdomen: Segmented, slightly broader than the thorax, ending in a tapered tip; dorsal surface may show fine, pale setae.
Life‑stage appearance:
- Eggs (nits): Oval, 0.5 mm long, glued firmly to the base of hair shafts near the skin. They appear white or pale yellow and are difficult to detach.
- Nymphs: Immature lice resemble miniature adults, lacking fully developed wings (which never appear in this group) and exhibiting lighter coloration. They grow through three molts before reaching maturity.
- Adults: Fully pigmented, capable of reproduction, and remain on the host for their entire lifespan, which is typically 3–4 weeks.
Distribution on the host:
- Concentrated around the neck, back, and tail base, where hair is dense.
- Occasionally found on the ventral surface and around the ears, especially in heavily infested animals.
Because of their small size and camouflage, lice are most reliably detected with a fine‑toothed comb or under a magnifying lens, revealing the characteristic nits attached to hair shafts and the mobile, translucent bodies of the insects themselves.