Body lice are spread by poor hygiene and body contact or sharing of clothing or bedding. What is the scientific name of body lice?

• A. Pediculus humans capitis.
• B. Pediculus humanus corporis.
• C. Pediculus humans pubis.
• D. Demodex mites.

Answer: (B)

Body lice are the form that lives in clothing and spreads through contact or sharing bedding, and their scientific name uses a body-specific subspecies. The correct binomial is Pediculus humanus corporis, which identifies the genus Pediculus, the human species humanus, and the body form corporis. This distinguishes them from the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, and from pubic lice, which are not even in the Pediculus genus (they’re Phthirus pubis). Demodex mites are a different kind of skin mite altogether.