Rhyncophthirina

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Rhyncophthirina (subclass Pterygota, order Phthiraptera) Suborder of lice, which are parasitic on elephants and warthogs. Members of the family are distinguished from all other lice by the elongation of the front of the head into a rigid, tubular rostrum, at the end of which are the mouth-parts. The mandibles are toothed on the outer surface and are used to drill into the skin of the host. The insect feeds on blood, and the length of the rostrum is related to the thickness of the skin of the host: Haematomyzus elephantis (elephant louse) has a much longer rostrum than H hopkinsi (warthog louse). The elephant louse is generally found behind the ears of its host, where the skin is thinnest. The suborder consists of only one family, Haematomyzidae, with one genus, Haematomyzus, containing these two species.

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