Ectoparasite

An ectoparasite lives on the external surface of a host and obtains food or other resources from it. Many attach to skin, feathers, or hair, while others move freely across the host.

Parasitism: A biological interaction in which one organism benefits while its host is harmed. Ectoparasitism is a form of parasitism in which the parasite occupies the host’s exterior.
Head louse: A wingless insect that lives among human scalp hairs and feeds on blood. It is a specialized human ectoparasite adapted to remain on the scalp.
Haustellum: A specialized piercing or sucking mouthpart in certain insects. Piercing mouthparts let blood-feeding ectoparasites access resources beneath the host’s surface.
Pediculicide: A substance or treatment used to kill lice. Pediculicides are used to control human infestations by lice.
Pediculosis: An infestation of lice on a human or other animal host. It is the host condition directly caused by louse ectoparasites.
Host (biology): An organism that provides resources or habitat to another organism, such as a parasite. The host supplies the surface habitat and resources used by an ectoparasite.
Tick: An arachnid that attaches to a host and feeds on its blood. Ticks illustrate prolonged attachment and blood feeding on external surfaces.
Claw (anatomy): A curved, hard anatomical structure used for gripping, digging, or defense. Claws help lice and other ectoparasites grip hair, feathers, or skin.
Acaricide: A chemical agent used to kill mites and ticks. Acaricides target important ectoparasites of people, livestock, and companion animals.
Scabies: A contagious skin infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The mite’s burrowing and feeding provoke the characteristic infestation.

Linked from 15 pages