Pediculus

{{Short description|Genus of lice}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Male human head louse.jpg

|image_caption = Head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis

|display_parents = 5

|parent_authority = Leach, 1817

|taxon = Pediculus

|authority = Linnaeus, 1758

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = See text

}}

Pediculus is a genus of sucking lice, the sole genus in the family Pediculidae. Pediculus species are ectoparasites of primates.

Species include:

• Pediculus clavicornis Nitzsch, 1864
• Pediculus humanus Linnaeus, 1758
• Pediculus humanus humanus Linnaeus, 1758 – the body louse
• Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer, 1767 – the head louse
• Pediculus mjobergi Ferris, 1916
• Pediculus schaeffi Fahrenholz, 1910

Humans are the hosts of Pediculus humanus. Chimpanzees and bonobos host Pediculus shaeffi. Various New World monkeys in the families Cebidae and Atelidae host Pediculus mjobergi.