What is the scientific name for a louse? - briefly
The common human louse is classified as «Pediculus humanus». Other lice belong to genera such as «Pediculus», «Pthirus», and «Haematopinus», each with its own species designation.
What is the scientific name for a louse? - in detail
The taxonomic designation for the common human louse belongs to the order Phthiraptera, which comprises obligate ectoparasites of birds and mammals. Within this order, the species that infests humans is classified as «Pediculus humanus». Two subspecies are recognized: the head louse, «Pediculus humanus capitis», and the body louse, «Pediculus humanus humanus». Both subspecies share the same binomial name but differ in ecological niche and morphology.
The hierarchical classification of the human louse is:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Phthiraptera
- Suborder: Anoplura (sucking lice)
- Family: Pediculidae
- Genus: Pediculus
- Species: humanus
The binomial name follows the Linnaean system, where the genus name is capitalized and the species epithet is lowercase, both italicized. The authority citation for this species is Linnaeus, 1758, indicating the original description date. Proper scientific writing requires the name to be presented in italics and accompanied by the author and year when first mentioned in a formal context.
Other medically relevant lice include the crab louse, «Pthirus pubis», belonging to the family Pthiridae, and various avian chewing lice such as «Myrsidea sylvestris». Each retains the same two-part format, reflecting genus and species, and adheres to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.