| Trichodectes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Trichodectes canis under a microscope | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Psocodea |
| Infraorder: | Phthiraptera |
| Family: | Trichodectidae |
| Genus: | Trichodectes Nitzsch, 1818 |
Trichodectes is a genus of louse belonging to the family Trichodectidae. It was described in 1818 by Christian Ludwig Nitzsch, [1] and it has a cosmopolitan distribution. [2] Species are frequently found living on small mammals such as badgers and skunks, and some on domesticated animals like dogs. They range from 1 mm (0.039 in) to 2 mm (0.079 in) and have broad bodies. [3]