Crab louse egg. Coloured scanning electron micro- graph (SEM) of an egg (nit) of the human crab louse, Phthirus pubis, attached to a human hair. The e

---

Crab louse egg. Coloured scanning electron micro- graph (SEM) of an egg (nit) of the human crab louse, Phthirus pubis, attached to a human hair. The egg's lid is lifting as the louse hatches. The crab louse lives in pubic hair around the genitals and anus, but may also occur in armpit hair, beards, eyelashes and eyebrows. Each female louse glues about 40 eggs to hairs. Under favourable conditions the time between successive generations is only three weeks. The louse feeds on blood, its bite leaving a large (1-2cm) spot on the skin which is accompanied by intense irritation; persistent scratching by the host may lead to bacterial skin infection. Magnification: x50 at 6x6cm size.

---

Size: 3801px × 3806px
Photo credit: © EYE OF SCIENCE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, crab, egg, hair, infection, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, louse, nature, nit, parasite, phthirus, pubic, pubis, wildlife, zoology