Haematopinus suis

Name

Greek: haimo = blood and pinein = drinking.

This is the louse of pigs. The females measure 4–6 mm in length; the males are only 3.5–4.7 mm in size (Fig. 1). Their body appears brown and the neck is rather long. The eggs (1 mm) become clued at the hair. The whole development takes 20–26 days. The females lay about 60 eggs. Besides pigs also man is attacked. Related species are Haematopinus eurysternus (cattle) and Haematopinus asini (horses, donkeys) (Lice) (Figs. 2 and 3).

Fig. 1

Two swine lice (Haematopinus suis) – note the rather long and slender neck