Rhyncophthirina
The
Rhyncophthirina represent two species of
lice that differ so markedly from all other lice that they have been placed in a suborder of their own. These unusual lice are
ectoparasites of
elephants and warthogs. Their mouthparts are elongated to form a drill-like structure which allows them to penetrate the thick skin of their host. The two species,
Haematomyzus elephantis (the elephant louse - known only from the Indian elephant) and
Haematomyzus hopkinsi (the warthog louse) belong to a single family, the Haematomyzidae.