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The Rhyncophthirina represent two species of lice that differ so markedly from all other lice that they have been placed in a suborder of their own. These unusual lice are ectoparasites of elephants and warthogs. Their mouthparts are elongated to form a drill-like structure that allows them to penetrate the thick skin of their host. The two species, Haematomyzus elephantis (the elephant louse - known only from the Indian elephant) and Haematomyzus hopkinsi (the warthog louse) belong to a single family, the Haematomyzidae.
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