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Order Phthiraptera


Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Sub-kingdom Eumetazoa
Sub-sub-kingdom Bilateria
Metaphylum Schizocoelos Coelomates
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Uniramia
Class Insecta
Subclass Pterygota

Order Phthiraptera

This group contains the lice, which are wingless biting and sucking ectoparasites of birds and mammals. The legs are adapted for gripping both hairs and feathers. Greek: phtheir, louse + a, without + pteron, wing. (Dorit et al, 1991)