The antennal sensory machinery of the head louse: detection of host stimuli

MINOLI, SEBASTIÁN; BARROZO, ROMINA B.; TOLOZA, ARIEL CEFERINO; ORTEGA INSAURRALDE, ISABEL; PICOLLO, MARÍA INÉS

Santiago de Chile/ Las Cruces/ Valparaíso

Workshop; Small Brains Big Ideas EMBO Global Exchange Course; 2019

European Molecular Biology Organization

Head lice are closely related to humans. Not only they feed on their blood, but they perform all of their activities (e.g. mating, laying eggs, etc) over their hair and scalps. Different than other hematophagous insects such as fleas and kissing bugs, survival away from the host is only represented by a couple of hours in lice. In this highly specific host-parasite interaction we studied the antennal sensory machinery of the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis involved in host detection through a morphological and behavioral approach.