pediculus capitis

2 definitions found

pediculus capitis - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Louse \Louse\ (lous), n.; pl. Lice (l[imac]s). [OE. lous, AS.
     l[=u]s, pl. l[=y]s; akin to D. luis, G. laus, OHG. l[=u]s,
     Icel. l[=u]s, Sw. lus, Dan. luus; perh. so named because it
     is destructive, and akin to E. lose, loose.] (Zool.)
     1. Any one of numerous species of small, wingless, suctorial,
        parasitic insects belonging to a tribe (Pediculina), now
        usually regarded as degraded Hemiptera. To this group
        belong of the lice of man and other mammals; as, the head
        louse of man (Pediculus capitis), the body louse
        (Pediculus vestimenti), and the crab louse (Phthirius  pubis
        ), and many others. See Crab louse, Dog louse,
        Cattle louse, etc., under Crab, Dog, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Any one of numerous small mandibulate insects, mostly
        parasitic on birds, and feeding on the feathers. They are
        known as Mallophaga, or bird lice, though some occur on
        the hair of mammals. They are usually regarded as degraded
        Pseudoneuroptera. See Mallophaga.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Any one of the numerous species of aphids, or plant lice.
        See Aphid.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Any small crustacean parasitic on fishes. See
        Branchiura, and Ichthvophthira.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The term is also applied to various other parasites;
           as, the whale louse, beelouse, horse louse.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Louse fly (Zool.), a parasitic dipterous insect of the
        group Pupipara. Some of them are wingless, as the bee
        louse.
  
     Louse mite (Zool.), any one of numerous species of mites
        which infest mammals and birds, clinging to the hair and
        feathers like lice. They belong to Myobia,
        Dermaleichus, Mycoptes, and several other genera.
        [1913 Webster]

pediculus capitis - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Pediculus capitis
      n 1: infests the head and body of humans [syn: head louse,
           Pediculus capitis]