The Chaetophage Research Institute was founded in 2018, and is the first research body dedicated to the study of chaetophages. The CRI was inspired by and is immeasurably indebted to the Holotypic Occlupanid Research Group (HORG). It was research by HORG that first identified the kingdom Microsynthera and its three phyla (Aluminestrae, Elasticae, and Plasticae). More than mere taxonomy, though, HORG has set the standard in synthetic studies. It is only through their pioneering work that our research is possible.
Unlike occlupanids, which constitute a class in their own right under the phylum Plasticae, caetophages (KEE-toe-fayj; chaetes = "mane", phage = "eat") are not a single taxonomic group of organisms, but in fact are found in all three phyla within the Microsynthera kingdom. Chaetophages are defined by the similar ecological niche they fill: they all form an apparently symbiotic relationship with the animal species Homo sapiens sapiens. Chaetophages burrow into the cranial hair of H. sapiens, from which they derive nutrients. Research has not yet been able to determine what benefit H. sapiens draws from the presence of chaetophages; however, scientists believe the relationship between H. sapiens and chaetophages is symbiotic rather than parasitic in nature, as H. sapiens have been widely seen deliberately introducing chaetophages into their hair.
Chaetophages are found in almost every environment where H. sapiens lives. They attach themselves to young and old alike, showing no apparent preference for age in the choice of a host except when the host's age affects their level of hair production. Female hosts are somewhat more common than male hosts, but both can be found in abundance. Preliminary observation suggests that some chaetophages are more active during summer months, but chaetophage behavior has been observed year-round. Unless otherwise noted, all specimens documented on this site were collected in the vicinity of the Chaetophage Research Institute headquarters, which is located in the Southern California coastal region, a Csa (Mediterranean) climate zone.
The work of the Chaetophage Research Institute has only just begun, and the findings presented here are necessarily rudimentary. We have so far only had the capability to study the few specimens in the Institute's possession. It is our hope that we will be able both to acquire new specimens and to participate in field research; in this way we aim to develop a more complete understanding of this fascinating group of creatures. In particular, it is almost certain that the taxonomy proposed herein will change after further research.