It has been a while since we featured a member of one of our largest collections-the Anoplura. This week’s specimen was collected in Irangi, Congo in 1968.
The host for this specimen is listed as Tamiscus emini (Rodentia:Sciuridae) (Stuhlman, 1894), which according to Wilson et al 2005 is synonymous with Paraxerus boehmi emini (Reichenow, 1886).
These squirrels, commonly known as Boehm’s bush squirrels, have an olive-colored coat with five dorsal stripes. They can be found in central and eastern African rainforest areas, where they are common. A Paraxerus boehmi feeds on both insects and fruits, while lice may feed on it (Kingdon 1974). Unfortunately, I was not able to find a photo to post here, but check out the different sources if you would like to learn more.
Please comment if you have any idea of the species of this louse! Its identity will be revealed next week.
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