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{{Short description|Species of louse}}
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'''''Pthirus gorillae''''' or '''gorilla louse''' is a species of [[parasite|parasitic]] [[sucking louse]] that afflicts [[gorilla]]s.<ref name="Evolutionary history">{{cite journal |author1=David L. Reed |author2=Jessica E. Light |author3=Julie M. Allen |author4=Jeremy J. Kirchman |year=2007 |title=Pair of lice lost or parasites regained: the evolutionary history of anthropoid primate lice |journal=[[BMC Biology]] |volume=5 |page=7 |doi=10.1186/1741-7007-5-7 |pmid=17343749 |pmc=1828715}}</ref> It is found in the African continent, specifically in [[Rwanda]] and [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |taxon=''Pthirus gorillae'' Ewing, 1927 |id=624833 |accessdate=30 September 2010}}</ref> ''Pthirus gorillae'' and ''Pthirus pubis'' (the [[crab louse]]) are the only known species that belong to the [[genus]] ''[[Pthirus]]'', often incorrectly spelled as ''Phthirus'' (the Latin for louse is ''phthir'').<ref name="Human and animal health">{{cite book |author1=Robert Frederick Harwood |author2=Maurice Theodore James |title=Entomology in human and animal health |year=1979 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-02-351600-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/entomologyinhuma0000harw/page/130 130] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/entomologyinhuma0000harw/page/130 }}</ref> It is suggested that it is transmitted among its [[Host (biology)|hosts]] by [[social grooming]], shared bedding and [[sexual intercourse|sexual contact]].<ref name="Uganda">{{cite book |editor1=Nicholas E. Newton-Fisher |editor2=Hugh Notman |editor3=James Durward Paterson |title=Primates of Uganda|year=2006|publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media]] |isbn=978-0-387-32342-8 |pages=171–192 |chapter=The Parasites of the Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda |author1=Jessica M. Rothman |author2=Dwight D. Bowman |author3=Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka |author4=John Bosco Nkurunungi |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4P9u4Lrk_GkC&pg=PA188}}</ref>
'''''Pthirus gorillae''''' or '''gorilla louse''' is a species of [[parasite|parasitic]] [[sucking louse]] that afflicts [[gorilla]]s.<ref name="Evolutionary history">{{cite journal |author1=David L. Reed |author2=Jessica E. Light |author3=Julie M. Allen |author4=Jeremy J. Kirchman |year=2007 |title=Pair of lice lost or parasites regained: the evolutionary history of anthropoid primate lice |journal=[[BMC Biology]] |volume=5 |page=7 |doi=10.1186/1741-7007-5-7 |pmid=17343749 |pmc=1828715 |doi-access=free }}</ref> It is found in the African continent, specifically in [[Rwanda]] and [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |taxon=''Pthirus gorillae'' Ewing, 1927 |id=624833 |accessdate=30 September 2010}}</ref> ''P. gorillae'' and ''P. pubis'' (the [[crab louse]]) are the only known species that belong to the [[genus]] ''[[Pthirus]]'', often incorrectly spelled as ''Phthirus'' (the Greek word for louse is ''phthir'').<ref name="Human and animal health">{{cite book |author1=Robert Frederick Harwood |author2=Maurice Theodore James |title=Entomology in human and animal health |year=1979 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-02-351600-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/entomologyinhuma0000harw/page/130 130] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/entomologyinhuma0000harw/page/130 }}</ref> It is suggested that it is transmitted among its [[Host (biology)|hosts]] by [[social grooming]], shared bedding and [[copulation (zoology)|sexual contact]].<ref name="Uganda">{{cite book |editor1=Nicholas E. Newton-Fisher |editor2=Hugh Notman |editor3=James Durward Paterson |title=Primates of Uganda|year=2006|publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media]] |isbn=978-0-387-32342-8 |pages=171–192 |chapter=The Parasites of the Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda |author1=Jessica M. Rothman |author2=Dwight D. Bowman |author3=Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka |author4=John Bosco Nkurunungi |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4P9u4Lrk_GkC&pg=PA188}}</ref>


All species of sucking lice feed on blood.<ref name="Eldridge's Entomology">{{cite book |editor1=Bruce F. Eldridge |editor2=John D. Edman |title=Medical Entomology: A Textbook on Public Health and Veterinary Problems |year=2004 |publisher=[[Kluwer Academic Publishers]] |isbn=978-1-4020-1794-0 |pages=99–149 |chapter=Direct Injury: Phobias, Psychoses, Annoyance, Allergies, Toxins, Venoms and Myiasis |author1=Jonathan F. Day |author2=John D. Edman |author3=Sidney E. Kunz |author4=Stephen K. Wikel |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C7OxOqTKYS8C&pg=PA109}}</ref> They live in close association with their hosts and complete their entire life cycle on the host.<ref name="Evolutionary history"/> ''Pthirus gorillae'' infests the same parts of the bodies of gorillas as ''Pthirus pubis'' does in humans,<ref name="Insects and Spiders">{{cite book |author1=Robert S. Anderson |author2=Richard Beatty |author3=Stuart Church |series=Insects and Spiders of the World |title=Volume 5. Harvester ant–Leaf-cutting ant |year=2003 |publisher=[[Marshall Cavendish]] |isbn=978-0-7614-7339-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/insectsspidersof0011unse/page/520 520–523] |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V1h8nqFXjN8C&pg=PA523 |chapter=Sucking louse |url=https://archive.org/details/insectsspidersof0011unse/page/520 }}</ref> but since the gorilla is hairier, the lice tend to range over the whole body.<ref name="African insect life">{{cite book |author1=Sydney Harold Skaife |author2=Anthony Bannister |title=African Insect Life |year=1979 |publisher=C. Struik |isbn=978-0-86977-087-0 |page=83}}</ref> The two also resemble each other with the exception that ''Pthirus gorillae'' has large eyes that are placed on large lateral protuberances. A short and broad sucking louse, it is about 2.20&nbsp;mm long with sprawling legs and not more than 20 small abdominal [[seta]]e.<ref name="Uganda"/> While morphologically these species are indistinguishable, they are clearly different in terms of behaviour, microhabitat preference and [[vector (epidemiology)|vector]] status.<ref name="Eldridge's Entomology"/>
All species of sucking lice feed on blood.<ref name="Eldridge's Entomology">{{cite book |editor1=Bruce F. Eldridge |editor2=John D. Edman |title=Medical Entomology: A Textbook on Public Health and Veterinary Problems |year=2004 |publisher=[[Kluwer Academic Publishers]] |isbn=978-1-4020-1794-0 |pages=99–149 |chapter=Direct Injury: Phobias, Psychoses, Annoyance, Allergies, Toxins, Venoms and Myiasis |author1=Jonathan F. Day |author2=John D. Edman |author3=Sidney E. Kunz |author4=Stephen K. Wikel |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C7OxOqTKYS8C&pg=PA109}}</ref> They live in close association with their hosts and complete their entire life cycle on the host.<ref name="Evolutionary history"/> ''Pthirus gorillae'' infests the same parts of the bodies of gorillas as ''Pthirus pubis'' does in humans,<ref name="Insects and Spiders">{{cite book |author1=Robert S. Anderson |author2=Richard Beatty |author3=Stuart Church |series=Insects and Spiders of the World |title=Volume 5. Harvester ant–Leaf-cutting ant |year=2003 |publisher=[[Marshall Cavendish]] |isbn=978-0-7614-7339-8 |pages=520–523 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V1h8nqFXjN8C&pg=PA523 |chapter=Sucking louse |url=https://archive.org/details/insectsspidersof0011unse |url-access=registration }}</ref> but since the gorilla is hairier, the lice tend to range over the whole body.<ref name="African insect life">{{cite book |author1=Sydney Harold Skaife |author2=Anthony Bannister |title=African Insect Life |year=1979 |publisher=C. Struik |isbn=978-0-86977-087-0 |page=83}}</ref> The two also resemble each other with the exception that ''Pthirus gorillae'' has large eyes that are placed on large lateral protuberances. A short and broad sucking louse, it is about 2.20&nbsp;mm long with sprawling legs and not more than 20 small abdominal [[seta]]e.<ref name="Uganda"/>


It was first identified from specimens of mountain gorillas in 1927 by [[Henry Ellsworth Ewing]] during a game hunting trip in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.<ref name="Uganda"/> [[Molecular phylogenetics]] suggests that ''Pthirus gorillae'' jumped from gorillas to [[early human]]s 3.3 million years ago and [[Speciation|diverged]] into the present-day pubic louse.<ref name="Evolutionary history"/><ref name="Earwig's tail">{{cite book |author=May R. Berenbaum |title=The Earwig's Tail: A Modern Bestiary of Multi-legged Legends |year=2009 |publisher=[[Harvard University Press]] |isbn=978-0-674-03540-9 |pages=24–28 |chapter=The Domesticated Crab Louse |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOlpPl_15csC&pg=PA27}}</ref> Researchers theorize that humans acquired the parasite while butchering or scavenging on gorilla corpses, or sleeping in the abandoned sleeping nests of gorillas.<ref name="New Scientist">{{cite news |author=Roxanne Khamsi |title=Pubic lice leapt from gorillas to early humans |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11330-pubic-lice-leapt-from-gorillas-to-early-humans.html |publisher=[[New Scientist]] |date=7 March 2007}}</ref><ref name="Scientific American">{{cite web |author=Jesse Bering |title=A bushel of facts about the uniqueness of human pubic hair |url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=a-bushel-of-facts-about-the-uniquen-2010-03-01 |work=Bering in Mind |publisher=[[Scientific American]] |date=1 March 2010 |accessdate=30 September 2010}}</ref>
It was first identified from specimens of mountain gorillas in 1927 by [[Henry Ellsworth Ewing]] during a game-hunting trip in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.<ref name="Uganda"/> [[Molecular phylogenetics]] suggest that ''P. gorillae'' jumped from gorillas to [[early human]]s 3.3 million years ago and [[Speciation|diverged]] into the present-day pubic louse.<ref name="Evolutionary history"/><ref name="Earwig's tail">{{cite book |author=May R. Berenbaum |title=The Earwig's Tail: A Modern Bestiary of Multi-legged Legends |year=2009 |publisher=[[Harvard University Press]] |isbn=978-0-674-03540-9 |pages=24–28 |chapter=The Domesticated Crab Louse |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOlpPl_15csC&pg=PA27}}</ref> Researchers theorize that humans acquired the parasite while butchering or scavenging on gorilla carcasses, or sleeping in the abandoned sleeping nests of gorillas.<ref name="New Scientist">{{cite news |author=Roxanne Khamsi |title=Pubic lice leapt from gorillas to early humans |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11330-pubic-lice-leapt-from-gorillas-to-early-humans.html |publisher=[[New Scientist]] |date=7 March 2007}}</ref><ref name="Scientific American">{{cite web |author=Jesse Bering |title=A bushel of facts about the uniqueness of human pubic hair |url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=a-bushel-of-facts-about-the-uniquen-2010-03-01 |work=Bering in Mind |publisher=[[Scientific American]] |date=1 March 2010 |accessdate=30 September 2010}}</ref>

Several lice of the species were found during a [[necropsy]] in the stomach of a female gorilla from [[Bwindi Impenetrable National Park]]; she had presumably been grooming before she died.<ref name="Uganda"/>

The conservation status of this species is unknown. Since its host species is critically endangered, it is likely that this species is endangered too.


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 19:30, 24 September 2023

Pthirus gorillae
A magnified image of "Pthirus gorillae"
A magnified image of Pthirus gorillae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Psocodea
Family: Pthiridae
Genus: Pthirus
Species:
P. gorillae
Binomial name
Pthirus gorillae
Ewing, 1927

Pthirus gorillae or gorilla louse is a species of parasitic sucking louse that afflicts gorillas.[1] It is found in the African continent, specifically in Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo.[2] P. gorillae and P. pubis (the crab louse) are the only known species that belong to the genus Pthirus, often incorrectly spelled as Phthirus (the Greek word for louse is phthir).[3] It is suggested that it is transmitted among its hosts by social grooming, shared bedding and sexual contact.[4]

All species of sucking lice feed on blood.[5] They live in close association with their hosts and complete their entire life cycle on the host.[1] Pthirus gorillae infests the same parts of the bodies of gorillas as Pthirus pubis does in humans,[6] but since the gorilla is hairier, the lice tend to range over the whole body.[7] The two also resemble each other with the exception that Pthirus gorillae has large eyes that are placed on large lateral protuberances. A short and broad sucking louse, it is about 2.20 mm long with sprawling legs and not more than 20 small abdominal setae.[4]

It was first identified from specimens of mountain gorillas in 1927 by Henry Ellsworth Ewing during a game-hunting trip in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[4] Molecular phylogenetics suggest that P. gorillae jumped from gorillas to early humans 3.3 million years ago and diverged into the present-day pubic louse.[1][8] Researchers theorize that humans acquired the parasite while butchering or scavenging on gorilla carcasses, or sleeping in the abandoned sleeping nests of gorillas.[9][10]

Several lice of the species were found during a necropsy in the stomach of a female gorilla from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; she had presumably been grooming before she died.[4]

The conservation status of this species is unknown. Since its host species is critically endangered, it is likely that this species is endangered too.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c David L. Reed; Jessica E. Light; Julie M. Allen; Jeremy J. Kirchman (2007). "Pair of lice lost or parasites regained: the evolutionary history of anthropoid primate lice". BMC Biology. 5: 7. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-5-7. PMC 1828715. PMID 17343749.
  2. ^ "Pthirus gorillae Ewing, 1927". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  3. ^ Robert Frederick Harwood; Maurice Theodore James (1979). Entomology in human and animal health. Macmillan. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-02-351600-9.
  4. ^ a b c d Jessica M. Rothman; Dwight D. Bowman; Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka; John Bosco Nkurunungi (2006). "The Parasites of the Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Uganda". In Nicholas E. Newton-Fisher; Hugh Notman; James Durward Paterson (eds.). Primates of Uganda. Springer Science+Business Media. pp. 171–192. ISBN 978-0-387-32342-8.
  5. ^ Jonathan F. Day; John D. Edman; Sidney E. Kunz; Stephen K. Wikel (2004). "Direct Injury: Phobias, Psychoses, Annoyance, Allergies, Toxins, Venoms and Myiasis". In Bruce F. Eldridge; John D. Edman (eds.). Medical Entomology: A Textbook on Public Health and Veterinary Problems. Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 99–149. ISBN 978-1-4020-1794-0.
  6. ^ Robert S. Anderson; Richard Beatty; Stuart Church (2003). "Sucking louse". Volume 5. Harvester ant–Leaf-cutting ant. Insects and Spiders of the World. Marshall Cavendish. pp. 520–523. ISBN 978-0-7614-7339-8.
  7. ^ Sydney Harold Skaife; Anthony Bannister (1979). African Insect Life. C. Struik. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-86977-087-0.
  8. ^ May R. Berenbaum (2009). "The Domesticated Crab Louse". The Earwig's Tail: A Modern Bestiary of Multi-legged Legends. Harvard University Press. pp. 24–28. ISBN 978-0-674-03540-9.
  9. ^ Roxanne Khamsi (7 March 2007). "Pubic lice leapt from gorillas to early humans". New Scientist.
  10. ^ Jesse Bering (1 March 2010). "A bushel of facts about the uniqueness of human pubic hair". Bering in Mind. Scientific American. Retrieved 30 September 2010.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pthirus_gorillae&oldid=1176910481"