Scientists found the first fossil louse, dating back 44.3 million years, in Eckfeld maar near Eifel, Germany. The fossil louse is excellently preserved and its phylogenetic affinities are with modern feather lice. This discovery provides evidence that dinosaurs may have hosted external parasites like lice and completes the representation of fossil insect orders.

1. Did dinosaurs have lice?
Vince Smith, Tom Ford, Kevin Johnson*,
Paul Johnson Rod Page
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
*Illinois Natural History Survey, USA

2. Fossil Lice
• Collected Eckfeld maar near
Eifel, Germany
• Middle Eocene (Middle Lutetian,
44.3±0.4 Ma)
• First fossil louse
• Completes ordinal representation
of fossil insects
• Excellent preservation
• Phylogenetic affinities with
modern feather lice
Wappler, Smith Dalgleish,
Proc.R.Soc., 2004.

3. Fossil Lice
Wappler, Smith Dalgleish,
Proc.R.Soc., 2004.

4. Fossil Lice
Wappler, Smith Dalgleish,
Proc.R.Soc., 2004.