Possible Lice Eggs?

[scibionerd]

Hi folks,

I'm a grad student who studies Western gray squirrels in Southern California. Can anyone confirm that this hair sample contains lice eggs?

Thanks,
Chris

[nchls_school]

I found this picture on a site. it's is lice eggs-nit.

[island rehabber]

yes, believe so. Usually on an animal who comes into rehab, without magnification, they look like tiny grains of white sand or rice.

[redwuff]

Hi Chris,

Welcome!!!

Tell us more about what you are studying with the western grey.

Trysh

[scibionerd]

Thanks for the responses! At least it's not mange mites. I also sent the pic to a wildlife vet just for another opinion- waiting to hear back.

Trysh- I'm doing a population genetics study on the Western gray squirrel (WGS) population Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Because Griffith Park seems completely isolated from the rest of the Santa Monica Mtns, there is concern that this local population of WGSs could be at risk of extinction. I do field surveys to see where in Griffith Park the WGSs are in relation to the Eastern fox squirrels and map their distribution. Then I put out "hairtubes" which are plastic tubes with a piece of sticky tape on either end, in the upper entrance of the tubes. I bait the tube with walnuts and when the squirrels go inside, they rub against the tape, leaving some hair behind. This sample I showed you had significantly more hair than I usually get! So, I wonder if the lice are making the hair come out more easily. I identify WGS hair and then extract the DNA from it. I sequence part of their DNA and also have it genotyped (determine genetic makeup of that individual based on several locations in their genome). By comparing the genetic diversity I can get a picture of how viable is the population.

Thanks,
Chris

[redwuff]

Thanks for that information. How did you choose this population to study. Will you continue to study WGS in the future or is this get to finish grad school?

Is there a concern that the Fox squirrel is chasing the WGS out? Please keep us informed of your study. We love learning anything about squirrels.

Trysh