Canadian Medical Guide > Organisms > Animals > Invertebrates > Arthropods > Insects > Lice Terms and Definitions
Lice
Medical Definition: | A general name for small, wingless, parasitic insects, previously of the order Phthiraptera. Though exact taxonomy is still controversial, they can be grouped in the orders ANOPLURA (sucking lice), MALLOPHAGA (biting lice), and Rhynchophthirina (elephant-lice). |
Guide Notes: | do not use /drug eff for insecticides: TN 111 |
Also Called: | Rhyncophthirina |
![]() |
Anoplura - An order of insects comprising the sucking lice, which are blood-sucking ectoparasites of mammals. Recognized families include: Echionphthiriidae, Haematopinidae, and Pediculidae. The latter contains the medically important genera affecting humans: PEDICULUS and PHTHIRUS. |
![]() |
Mallophaga - An order of insects comprising the chewing lice or biting lice, many of which are parasitic on wild birds and domestic fowl and on wild and domestic mammals. Suborders include Amblycera and Ischnocera. |
Lice Medical Definitions and Terms
|
Wildlife On Video »

Tour Canadian Rockies »
Book Banff »
Book Jasper »
Maligne Lake Boat Cruise »
Banff Gondola »
Hike Jasper »
Jasper Columbia Icefield »
Hike Johnston Canyon »
Golden Skybridge »
Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise »
Columbia Icefields Skywalk »