[Head lice problems. I. Taxonomic position of Pediculus capitis]

The recognition of the head louse and the body louse being two different species is not quite new. This view is also supported by the author as can be seen in several publications. It is based on the biological species concept of the so-called new systematics. But even quite a few contributors doing research in the field of lice still ignore this concept. Therefore, the author emphasizes all "biological" species criteria referring to modern epidemiological research done in the last decades. Considering all these facts and contemporary evolutionary theory the author concludes that the two forms should be recognized as good species. The different subspecies of the head louse described as such are listed.