Overview
The family contains many genera, and the chief hosts are rodents.
Hoplopleura
contains the only native Anoplura, and there must be many more species than the few described.
H
.
pacifica
, a common parasite on
R
.
rattus
and
R
.
exulans
in the Pacific, is common on
R
.
rattus
in Australia.
Description
Head relatively small; mouth-parts developed into an unjointed more or less pointed beak, or rounded anteriorly, without mandibles. Head without eyes or ocular points. Head and thorax with only a few typical setae, abdomen without scales. Abdomen with distinct paratergites; fore coxae usually close together. S2 extending laterally on each side to articulate with the corresponding paratergites; hind legs largest of the 3 pairs; on rodents.