rận chim
Definition
- Noun:
- Bird louse / Chewing louse: A small, wingless, parasitic insect that lives on the skin or feathers of birds, feeding on feathers, skin, or debris. It belongs to the order Phthiraptera, suborder Ischnocera or Amblycera.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Chú chim bị nhiễm rận chim nên rất hay rỉa lông. (The bird is infested with bird lice, so it preens its feathers constantly.)
- Rận chim thường không ký sinh trên người. (Bird lice typically do not parasitize humans.)
Advanced Usage
- Scientific Context: In zoology, "rận chim" corresponds to specific families of chewing lice, such as Menoponidae or Philopteridae.
- Mẫu vật được xác định là một loài rận chim thuộc họ Philopteridae. (The specimen was identified as a species of bird louse from the family Philopteridae.)
Variants and Related Words
- Rận (n): Louse. A general term for parasitic insects on mammals and birds.
- Rận gà (n): Poultry louse. A specific type of bird louse that infests chickens.
Synonyms
- Chewing louse: A general term for lice that feed on skin, feathers, or debris.
- Mallophaga (obsolete scientific term): Formerly used for the order containing chewing lice.
Notes on Meaning
- Not a True "Louse" for Mammals: While called "rận" (louse) in Vietnamese, "rận chim" is biologically distinct from human head lice or body lice (). Bird lice primarily feed on feathers and are not adapted to live on human skin or hair.
- Potential Nuisance: Heavy infestations can cause irritation, feather damage, and stress in birds, but they are not vectors for major human diseases.