What does a human lice look like under a microscope? - briefly
Under magnification, a human head louse appears as a flattened, elongated insect about 2–4 mm long, with a translucent grayish body and six clawed legs adapted for gripping hair shafts. Its head bears a pair of antennae, compound eyes, and chewing mouthparts.
What does a human lice look like under a microscope? - in detail
A human louse observed through a compound microscope appears as a flattened, elongated arthropod measuring 2–4 mm in length. The body consists of three distinct regions: head, thorax, and abdomen, each clearly demarcated by shallow grooves.
The head bears a pair of prominent, ventrally positioned compound eyes and a pair of antennae about 0.2 mm long, each segmented into three flagellomeres. Mouthparts form a piercing‑sucking apparatus (the lacinia) adapted for feeding on blood.
The thorax carries three pairs of legs, each ending in clawed tarsi that enable firm attachment to hair shafts. Legs are visibly shorter than the body, with visible joints and setae (sensory hairs) along the tibiae.
The abdomen is comprised of seven visible segments, each bearing rows of short, hair‑like setae. In females, the terminal segment expands into a curved ovipositor, while males display a slightly more tapered posterior. Under high magnification (400–1000×), the cuticle reveals a fine, reticulate pattern and occasional microtrichia.
Key microscopic features:
- Cuticle: translucent, slightly glossy, with a honey‑comb texture.
- Spiracles: small openings on the lateral abdomen, visible as tiny pits.
- Internal structures: when stained, the gut appears filled with reddish blood, and the reproductive organs are discernible as paired masses in females.
These characteristics allow precise identification of Pediculus humanus capitis and differentiate it from other ectoparasites.