Experiments on morphological observation of lice

Summary

This experiment is from the official website of Human Parasitology of Shandong University

Operation method

Experiments on morphological observation of lice

Principle

Belonging to the lice family of the order Lice, the body is dorsal and ventral flattened. There are three types of lice: body lice, head lice and pubic lice. Morphologically, body lice are similar to head lice, which are darker and smaller. Pubic lice are crab-like, slow-moving, stout-footed, with a finger-like protrusion at the end of the tibial segment. The tarsal segment ends in a claw, both of which form a grip with which it is secured to the hair or fiber. The life history of the louse is an imperfect metamorphosis, consisting of three stages: egg, waking worm, and adult. Adult lice can transmit epidemic typhus, return fever, and trench fever.

Move

I. Observe for yourself -

Adults: include body lice, head lice and pubic lice.

1. Body lice slide specimen: observe with low magnification. Grayish-white, dorsoventrally flattened. The body is divided into head, thorax and abdomen, without wings. Female lice are larger and male lice are smaller.

(1) Head: bluntly rounded anterior end, with a pair of antennae, divided into 5 sections. A pair of compound eyes, located on both sides of the head protruding. The mouthparts are stinging and sucking, usually retracted into the head.

(2) Thorax: 3 segments fused, wingless. 3 pairs of legs stout, similar in size, tibial segments terminating medially with a finger-like protuberance, tarsal segments terminating with a curved claw that forms a grip with the finger-like protuberance.

(3) Abdomen: flattened, male louse abdomen is narrower, with an intertwined spine at the end of the body. The female louse has a "W"-shaped abdomen at the end.

2. Head lice slide specimens: morphology is less different from body lice, only slightly smaller, darker body color.

3. pubic louse slide specimen: crab-like, chest wider than abdomen, tiny forelegs, thick midlegs and hindlegs, abdomen wider than long, 4 pairs of tubular projections on both sides.

Second, show and teach:

Life history periods.

1: Egg (slide specimen): oblong, creamy-white, capped at one end, with stomata that stick to fibers or hairs.

2, Wakame slide specimen: morphology basically similar to that of the adult, with a smaller body. Reproductive organs are immature.

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