The Non-Fibonacci Louse: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Debunks a Biological Myth and Reveals a Constraint-Adaptation Nexus

Vijay Kumar

Abstract: The Fibonacci sequence and Golden Ratio (φ) are ubiquitous in popular science, with claims of their manifestation in the anatomy of lice (Phthiraptera). A systematic review (PRISMA) of literature was conducted from 1950-2023, finding zero peer-reviewed studies providing empirical support. A meta-analysis of popular claims against taxonomic data rejected the universal 5-segmented antenna hypothesis (χ² = 84.1, p < 0.0001) and showed nit morphometrics (mean L/W ratio = 2.1, 95% CI: 2.0-2.2) are distinct from φ (t = 15.4, p < 0.0001). A "Constraint-Adaptation Nexus" framework was proposed, where phylogenetic history, developmental genetics, and intense functional pressures-not numerical idealism?shape louse morphology. This work debunks a persistent myth and reorients the study of biological form towards testable, mechanistic explanations, outlining a future research agenda in evolutionary morphology.

Keywords: Fibonacci, Golden Ratio, Phthiraptera, apophenia, constraint-adaptation nexus, evolutionary morphology, biomimetics

How to Cite?: Vijay Kumar, "The Non-Fibonacci Louse: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Debunks a Biological Myth and Reveals a Constraint-Adaptation Nexus", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 198-200, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251123130140, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251123130140