# Crab louse (*Pthirus pubis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/crab-louse  
Data as of: 2026-11-14

The crab louse (Pthirus pubis) is an insect in the family Pthiridae, which belongs to the suborder Troctomorpha of the order Psocodea. Other English names for the crab louse are Crab-louse, Pubic louse and Human pubic louse. Its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758), and it is placed in the genus Pthirus, class Insecta and phylum Arthropoda. The Catalogue of Life lists the crab louse as living, not extinct.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 1.3 mm – 2 mm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Egg incubation | 6 days – 8 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Reproduction | Eggs |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Insecta
- order: Psocodea
- family: Pthiridae
- genus: Pthirus
- species: *Pthirus pubis* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Pediculus ferus*, *Pediculus pubis*, *Phthirus chavesi*, *Phthirus pubis*, *Pthirus inguinalis*, *Pthirus inquinalis*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the crab louse?

The crab louse is an insect. It belongs to the family Pthiridae in the order Psocodea.

### What is the scientific name of the crab louse?

The scientific name of the crab louse is Pthirus pubis, in the genus Pthirus.

### What are other names for the crab louse?

The crab louse is also called Crab-louse, Pubic louse and Human pubic louse.

### Who named the crab louse and when?

The crab louse was named by Linnaeus in 1758, written as (Linnaeus, 1758).

### Is the crab louse extinct?

No. The Catalogue of Life lists the crab louse as living, not extinct.

### What phylum and class does the crab louse belong to?

The crab louse belongs to the phylum Arthropoda and the class Insecta.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS)](https://griis.org/), CC BY 4.0, 2026-11-13. Pagad, S., Genovesi, P., Carnevali, L., Schigel, D. & McGeoch, M.A. (2018) Introducing the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species. Scientific Data 5: 170202. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.202. Country checklists published through GBIF by the IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group.
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Crab louse (Pthirus pubis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/crab-louse