The ecology of Lice on sheep. 3. Differences between the biology of Linognathus pedalis (Osborne) and L. ovillus (Neumann).

Abstract

Linognathus pedalis, which is found on the legs of sheep where the temperature near the skin can fluctuate greatly, was able to survive prolonged exposure to cool temperatures, whereas L. ovillus, which is found particularly on the face, and to a lesser extent on the body, could not. L. pedalis is more sedentary, congregates into clusters, and is most numerous on the parts of the leg covered with hair, whereas L. ovillus disperses, never forms clusters, and its populations are usually densest in the region of mergence between hair and wool on the face.