Elephant Lice

Haematomyzus elephantis is a true louse, a parasite like the head lice that attack us humans, but can be found only on the bodies of elephants. Unusual among most lice, the jaws of these insects are on the end of long, thin snouts – almost like the trunks of their hosts. It’s far from coincidence, as the long snoot is used to penetrate an elephant’s thick, wrinkled hide.