1985 Volume 36 Issue 4 Pages 343-348
Morphological features of eggs of three kinds of human lice were studied with the light and scanning electron microscopy. The head and body lice are capable of crossbreeding and they often resemble to each other in their external morphology. However, there was a marked difference between the two forms in the average size of the eggs. Head louse eggs were 830-918μm (888±27) in length and 408-489μm (460±22) in width. Whereas, body louse eggs measured 918-1,142μm (1,004±55) in length and 489-642μm (537±34) in width. On the other hand, the number of aeropyles on the operculum was 7 to 11 (av. 8.7) in head louse eggs, and 12 to 21 (av. 15.4) in body louse eggs. The egg of pubic louse was easily distinguished from eggs of head and body lice in the shape of aeropyle and operculum. The aeropyles of pubic louse egg occupied almost entire surface of its operculum and formed a distinct protuberance at the center. Reticular structure was observed between each of the aeropyles of pubic louse egg.
