Mallophaga

Mallophaga
Felicola subrostratus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Psocodea
Parvorder: Phthiraptera
Section: Mallophaga
Nitzsch, 1818

The Mallophaga are a possibly paraphyletic[1] section of lice, known as chewing lice, biting lice, or bird lice, containing more than 3000 species. These lice are external parasites that feed mainly on birds, although some species also feed on mammals. They infest both domestic and wild mammals and birds, and cause considerable irritation to their hosts.[2] They have paurometabolis or incomplete metamorphosis.[3][4]

  1. ^ Smith V. "Phthiraptera.info". International Society of Phthirapterists. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  2. ^ D.E. Bay & R.L. Harris (1988). Introduction to Veterinary Entomology (A Guide to Livestock Insects). [ [Robert Harris Publisher] ]. ISBN 978-0-9624083-0-4.
  3. ^ Frank N. Young & Gene Kritsky (2002). "The Hemipteroidea". A Survey of Entomology. iUniverse. pp. 178–191. ISBN 978-0-595-22143-1.
  4. ^ Cyrus Abivardi (2001). "Destructive and useful insects". Iranian Entomology: an Introduction. Springer. pp. 563–902. ISBN 978-3-540-67592-1.