An order of insects comprising the sucking lice, which are blood-sucking ectoparasites of mammals. Recognized families include: Echinphthiriidae, Haematopinidae, and Pediculidae. The latter contains the medically important genera affecting humans: PEDICULUS and PHTHIRUS.

Synonyms: txid364330, Hoplopleuras, Lice, Sucking, txid1225801, Solenopotes, Polyplax, Anoplura, Louse, Sucking, Polyplaxs, Sucking Louses, Hoplopleura, Lices, Sucking, txid160141, Anopluras, Sucking Lices, Solenopote, Sucking Lice, Louses, Sucking, txid186219, Linognathus, Haematopinus, Sucking Louse, txid30005, txid179153