Researchers still struggle with pinpointing how pubic lice developed. However, historical and archaeological evidence demonstrate that crab louse evolved from the similar gorilla louse, Pthirus gorillae (BioMed Central, 2009). Through genetic research on the mitochondrial genome of the chimpanzee louse, researchers found that a single mini-chromosome had fragmented into three sections in the lineage of ectoparasites, which includes head lice, body lice, and pubic lice about 3.3 million years ago (Herd, Barker, Shao, 2015). Diaz predicts that the body louse may have evolved from the head louse after man started wearing clothes without proper grooming techniques, resulting in humans being the predominant host reservoir for pubic lice (Diaz, 2006). However, humans split from gorillas approximately 7 million years ago, indicating that humans developed crab louse from the gorilla family although scientists have not yet proven how this occurred.
This could be due to the lack of archaeological records and attitudes towards pubic lice during this time period. Although there has been evidence of crab louse fossils in archaeological deposits, their findings have been significantly rare compared to …show more content…
Some researchers believe that crab louse evolved in humans because predators can develop parasites from their prey. Therefore, close contact between gorillas and humans must have allowed Pthirus in gorillas to transmit to humans as crab louse (Biomed, 2009). Humans slaughtering gorillas as bush meat could have initiated human contact with gorillas or any form of contact of the pubic region between gorillas and humans (Biomed, 2009). Scientists often compare this origin to the connection between chimpanzees and humans developing
This could be due to the lack of archaeological records and attitudes towards pubic lice during this time period. Although there has been evidence of crab louse fossils in archaeological deposits, their findings have been significantly rare compared to …show more content…
Some researchers believe that crab louse evolved in humans because predators can develop parasites from their prey. Therefore, close contact between gorillas and humans must have allowed Pthirus in gorillas to transmit to humans as crab louse (Biomed, 2009). Humans slaughtering gorillas as bush meat could have initiated human contact with gorillas or any form of contact of the pubic region between gorillas and humans (Biomed, 2009). Scientists often compare this origin to the connection between chimpanzees and humans developing