Our collection of this week’s Friday Night Lice species includes what is probably the cutest, stubbiest louse we’ve ever seen. Behold:
It’s an immature specimen of undetermined sex. This slide is another example of the strength of our Anoplura collection—we have nymphal specimens for most species. And here is an adult female specimen:
Anything strike you about its anatomy? Any structures on its head or anywhere else that might clue you into the kind of environment provided by its host? I admit that it’s not an obvious one! Another hint with minimal information: the host mammal is famous, in part, for its interactions with a top—and I mean TOP— predator. Feel free to offer your guess as a comment below!