Survey of Lice (Order: Phthiraptera) Parasitizing Sheep in Basrah Province-Iraq

Hatem, Alaa Nadhim

doi:10.23975/bjvr.2026.168269.1271

	Survey of Lice (Order: Phthiraptera) Parasitizing Sheep in Basrah Province-Iraq
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research
Volume 25, Issue 1, March 2026, Pages 132-142 PDF (769.5 K)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.23975/bjvr.2026.168269.1271
Author
Alaa Nadhim Hatem^*
Biology department - College of education for pure science - Basrah University
Abstract
The study was conducted in Basrah province/ South of Iraq from November 2024 to October 2025. The survey of lice was done in five stations; Al-Zubayer, Al-Qurnah, Shatt Al-Arab, Abu Al-Khaseeb, and Basrah City. The collection included slaughterhouses, sheepfolds, farms and livestock markets. Samples were collected from various sites of sheep body, including: head, neck, abdomen, trunk, and extremities. The total number of sheep examined was 414. The results of the survey showed the prevalence in the examined sheep was (67%). Lice species identification was accomplished based on modern taxonomic keys. The identification included observing some morphological characteristics. Sheep were infested with six species of lice, four were sucking lice Solenoptes capillatus (Enderlein,1904), Linognathus vituli (Linnaeus,1758), Linognathus africanus (Kellogg and Paine,1911), Linognathus ovillus (Neumann,1907), and two species of chewing lice Bovicola ovis (Linnaeus,1758), and Bovicola caprae (Gurlt,1843). Solenoptes capillatus was recorded in Iraq for the first time. Sheep was recorded as a new host for the Linognathus vituli, which recoded on cows previously.
Keywords
Sheep; Chewing lice; Sucking lice

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