Trichodectidae is a family of louse in the parvorder Trichodectera. Its species are parasites of mammals.

Classification

Trichodectidae was previously classified as belonging to Ischnocera, but phylogenetic studies had found that group to be paraphyletic. In 2021, de Moya et al. proposed that Trichodectidae be split off from Ischnocera and to be put into a newly created grouping called Trichodectera.

Below is a cladogram showing the position of Trichodectidae within Phthiraptera:

PhthirapteraIschnocera Philopteridae Anoplura Rhynchophthirina Trichodectera Trichodectidae Amblycera
Ischnocera Philopteridae Anoplura Rhynchophthirina Trichodectera Trichodectidae
IschnoceraPhilopteridae
Anoplura Rhynchophthirina Trichodectera Trichodectidae
Anoplura Rhynchophthirina
Anoplura
Rhynchophthirina
TrichodecteraTrichodectidae
Amblycera

List of genera

The following 19 genera are recognized:

  • Bovicola Ewing, 1929
  • Cebidicola Bedford, 1936
  • Damalinia Mjöberg, 1910
  • Dasyonyx Bedford, 1932
  • Eurytrichodectes Stobbe, 1913
  • Eutrichophilus Mjöberg, 1910
  • Felicola Ewing, 1929
  • Geomydoecus Ewing, 1929
  • Lutridia Kéler, 1938
  • Neotrichodectes Ewing, 1929
  • Paratrichodectes Lyal, 1985
  • Procavicola Bedford, 1932
  • Procaviphilus Bedford, 1932
  • Protelicola Bedford, 1932
  • Stachiella Kéler, 1938
  • Thomomydoecus Price & Emerson, 1972
  • Trichodectes Nitzsch, 1818
  • Tricholipeurus Bedford, 1929
  • Werneckodectes Conci, 1946