G. F. Ferris.
Notes on Anoplura and Mallophaga, from Mammals, with Descriptions of Four New Species and a New Variety of Anoplura.
Psyche 23:97-120, 1916.

Full text (searchable PDF, 1728K)
Durable link: http://psyche.entclub.org/23/23-097.html

The following unprocessed text is extracted from the PDF file, and is likely to be both incomplete and full of errors. Please consult the PDF file for the complete article.

PSYCHE
VOL. XXIII AUGUST, 1916 NO. 4
NOTES ON ANOPLURA AND MALLOPHAGA, FROM MAM- MALS, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF FOUR NEW SPECIES AND A NEW VARIETY OF ANOPLURA.
BY G. F. FERRIS,
Stanford University, California.
Under an arrangement made by the Department of Entomology of Stanford University with Dr. Joseph Grinnell, director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the University of California, the author was enabled to accompany a collecting party from the museum, engaged during the summer of 1915 in a Biological Survey of Yosemite National Park, with the privilege of examining for parasites all the birds and mammals taken by the expedition. In addition, through the kindness of Dr. Grinnell, the author was also permitted to examine the skins in the museum, and it is upon the material obtained in these two ways, that this paper is for the most part based. It is in the nature of a supplement to "The Anoplura and Mallophaga of North American Mammals," by V. L. Kellogg and G. 3'. Ferris (1915), in which there is a discus- sion of most of the old species listed in this paper, together with a host list of the Anoplura and Mallophaga from North American mammals.
The examination of museum skins has proven to be an excel- lent method of collecting Mallophaga and Anoplura, nearly as much material being procured in a few days of such work as could be obtained in an entire summer of field collecting. There is some danger that records obtained in this manner may be unre- liable due to the packing together of different hosts, but this danger is really astonishingly small, although cases of this nature were, indeed, met with. Certainly all records based entirely upon the examination of museum skins should be checked up by field Pu&e 23:97-120 t l!4 16). hqxYipsyche mtclub ore/23/23-097 hlml



================================================================================

98 Psyche [August
collecting wherever any doubt arises. There is the further dis- advantage that large skins are usually carefully cleaned when they are tanned and all the parasites are necessarily lost, but undoubt- edly assiduous collecting in our museums will add greatly to our knowledge of the Anoplura and Mallophaga. The mammals which were examined without finding parasites should be recorded as well as those from which parasites were taken. About fifteen fresh specimens of Ochotona albata (cony, rock rabbit or pika) and several skins of this and a related species, Ochotona schisticeps, were examined with negative results. The finding of Anoplura upon members of this genus would be of much interest since these animals are the nearest relatives of the rabbits and it is to be expected that their parasites should be related to the parasites of the rabbits.
Several specimens of Aplodontia californica were examined, also with negative results. It seems probable that the members of this genus harbor no Anoplura or Mallophaga since the author has previously examined a number of specimens with the same result. The examination of a few fresh specimens and many skins of moles of the genus Scapanus failed to produce any parasites al- though an Anopluran species is accredited to the eastern moles of the genus Scalopus. Nor was anything found upon any shrews, although numerous individuals of two or three species of Sorex and Neosorex were examined.
The descriptions of new species and notes on old species follow: Trichodectes retusus Nitzsch.
Numerous specimens from two individuals of Martes sp?, the Pine Marten, a single specimen from Gulo luscus ssp?, a wolverine (all taken at Lye11 Canyon, Mariposa Co., Calif.) and a single immature specimen from a skin of Mustela vison nesolestes (Ad- miralty Is., Alaska).
This species was originally described from an Old World weasel and has been reported from mink and weasel in North America. It is distinguished from the other Mustelid-infesting species of Trichodectes by the fact that the antennae are similar in male and female.




================================================================================

FerrisÌÔNote on Anoplura and Mallophaga
Trichodectes quadraticeps Chapman.
Several specimens from a skin of Vulpes cascadensis (Mt. Shasta, Calif .).
This species has previously been recorded only from Urocyon californicus and there has been no record of any Mallophagan from a North American species of Vulpes although a species, Trichodectes vulpis, has been recorded from a European Vulpes. It is possible that these two species will prove to be the same. Trichodectes mephitidis Osborn.
Many specimens from Bassariseus astutus raptor (Pleasant Val- ley, Mariposa Co., Calif.) and from skins of the same host from several other localities in California. The occurrence of T. meph- itidis upon this host seems rather anomalous as this species is typically must elid-inf esting ; however, it seems to be normally present upon Bassariseus as well. Another species, T. thoracicus Osborn, has also been described from the same host. Trichodectes geomydis Osborn.
From Thomomys monticola (Yosemite National Park, Calif .) and skins of Geomys cumberlandius (Cumberland Is., Ga.) . Polyplax spinulosa Burm.
From Microtus (Lagurus) intermedius (PineeForest Mts., Nev.). Polyplax auricularis Kellogg & Ferris.
From Peromyscus maniculatus gambeli (Yosemite National Park, Calif .) and skin's of Onychomys torridus, pulcher (Victorville, Calif .) and Onychomys leucogaster arcticeps (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Previously recorded from Peromyscus maniculatus rubidus (In- verness, Marin Co., Calif.) and Peromyscus sitchensis prevostensis, (Forrester Is., Alaska).
Host of the type, Peromyscus maniculatus rubidus. Linognathoides montanus Osborn.
From Marmotaflaviventris sierras and Citellus beldingi (Yosemite National Park, Calif.) and skins of Cynomys leucurus (Routt Co., Colo.) , Citellus oregonus (Pine Forest Mts., Nev.), Citellus gram-



================================================================================

100 Psyche [August
murus (Santa Catalina Mts., Ariz.) and Citellus plesius ablusus (Prince William Sound, Alaska). The specimens from Marmota are somewhat larger than those from any of the numerous other hosts and there are slight differences in the shape of the sternal plate but there seem to be no good grounds for regarding this form as at all specifically or varietally distinct. Host of the type, Sciurus cinereus.
Linognathoides inornatus Kellogg & Ferris. From Neotoma cinerea cinerea and N. fuscipes streatori (Yo- semite National Park, Calif.). This species was referred to Lin- ognathoides because of the entire absence of chitinized tergal and sternal plates but the specimens obtained from Neotoma fuscipes have the anterior division of each tergite and sternite distinctly chitinized although in all other respects they agree entirely with the specimens from N. cinerea.
It may be that this form should be
separated as a new species but I have not sufficient material to justify me in doing so. It is evidently rather uncommon in its occurrence for it has been found on but one individual out of dozens examined while the form occurring upon N. cinerea is present upon practically every individual of its host species. Neohaematopinus pacificus Kellogg & Ferris. From Eutamias alpinus and Eutamias speciosus frater (Yosemite National Park, Calif.) and Eutamias merriami pricei (Stanford University, Calif .) .
Host of the type, Eutamias townsendi ochrogenys (Cazadero, Sonoma Co., Calif .) .
Neohaematopinus antennatus Osborn, var. semifasciatus var. nov. From Sciurus douglasi mollipilosus (Cazadero and Freestone, Sonoma Co., Calif.) and Sciurus douglasi albolimbatus (Yosemite National Park, Calif.). In the "Anoplura and Mallophaga of North American Mammals" this form was included with N. antennatus Osborn, but it should be separated as at least varietally distinct. It differs constantly from N. antennatus in having the anterior division of each abdominal tergite and sternite dis- tinctly chitinized but resembles N. antennatus in all other respects. N. pacificus K. & F., which also has the anterior division of the



================================================================================

19161 FernsÌÔNote on Anoplura and Mallophaga 101 tergites and sternites chitinized is readily distinguishable by the difference in the pleural plates. The new variety is evidently rather close to N. sciurinus (Mjoberg) from Sciurus vulpinus (Europe) and may prove to be identical with that species but the description of the latter is too incomplete to permit of any cer- tainty.
Host of the type, Sciurus douglasi albolimbatus. Neohaematopinus sciuropteri Osborn.
Numerous specimens from Glaucomys sabrinus lascivus (Yosem- ite National Park, Calif.), better known as Sciuropterus. The
description of this species was based upon the male and apparently but two specimens of the species have heretofore been known. The Fig. 1. Neohcematopinus sciuropteri (Orb.) ; Fig. 2. Neohcematopinus scivr- A, antenna of female, B, antenna of male, opferi (Orb.); vertical side of head.
vertical side.
figures in "Anoplura and Mallophaga of North American Mam- mals" were made from a single imperfect male and prove to be wrong in certain respects. There is no spine on the posterior margin of the first antenna1 segment, as was there figured, this spine really being on the head immediately at the base of the antenna. Furthermore the sternal plate has the posterior lateral angles produced into slight points instead of having the posterior margin straight.
The absence of a spine on the posterior margin of the first an- tennal segment leaves the emarginate posterior margin of the second tergite in the male as the only positive character separating this species from Polyplax. The female can be separated from



================================================================================

102 Psyche [August
the females of the various species of Polyplax only by its extremely broad head and the stout spine at the base of each antenna. The female in general resembles the male, but has the antennae simple, that is without a preaxial process on the third segment, and lacks the emargination of the posterior margin of the second abdominal tergite.
Hsemodipsus ventricosus Denny.
Numerous specimens from skins of Lepus californicus (Arcata, Humboldt Co., Calif .) and Lepus californicus deserticola (Ehrenberg, Ariz.). The male, which has never been adequately described, is similar to the female except for its much smaller size. The genitalia are very large and conspicuous, the basal plate being long and relatively slender, the parameres about half as long as the basal plate and very broad and heavy. Penis very small and inconspicuous.
It should be noted that the sternal plate is not as regularly hexagonal as it is figured in "Ano- plura and Mallophaga of North American Mam- mals," the posterior margin being longer than the anterior and closer to the lateral angles. Fig. 3. Hcemodip-
sus ventricsus (Den-
ny); genitalia of
male.
Fahrenholzia pinnata Kellogg & Ferris.
From Perodipus sp? (Coulterville, Mariposa Co., Calif .) and skins of Dipodomys merriami ssp. (Independence, Inyo Co., Calif .) , Dipo- domys deserti (Mecca, Riverside Co., Calif .) , Microdipodops polionotus (Benton, Mono Co., Calif .) and Perognathus parvus olivaceous (Pine Forest Mtsa , Nev.) .
Host of the type, Dipodomys californicus. Fahrenholzia tribulosa sp . nov.
From Perognathus californicus ssp? (Pleasant Valley, Mariposa Co., Calif .), and Perognathus formosus (Victorville, Calif.).
This is a very distinct form that
differs markedly from F. pinnata in the character of the male



================================================================================

19161 FerrisÌÔNote on Anoplura and Mallophaga 103 genitalia. The head is entirely destitute of spines and in the form chosen as the type of the specie? there are six pairs of pleural plates instead of three as in F. pinnata. The specimens from Peroqnathus formosus, however, have but three pairs of pleural plates although they agree with the type in all other particulars. Further collecting may just-
ify the separation of these
two forms. The name is
from the Latin meaning
thorny.
Host of the type, Perogna-
thus californicus.
Description of female :
Length, 1.65 mm.; length of
head, .16 mm.; length of ab-
domen, 1.15 mm. ; width of
head, .15 mm.; width of
thorax, .16 mm.; width of
abdomen, .45 mm.
Head triangular in shape,
rather sharply pointed ante-
riorly and with very shallow
antenna1 sinuses. No hairs
on either dorsal or ventral
side except for a few very
small hairs on the anterior
margin and about the ros-
trum. Antennae set well
back from the anterior mar-
gin, five-segmented, rather
slender and with all the
joints subequal in length.
Thorax about as long as
the head and slightly wider,
with the lateral margins
parallel and nearly straight.
Fig. 4. Fahrenholzia tribulosa sp, nov. ; female.
No hairs on either dorsal or ventral sides. Sternal plate regularly
oval in shape.
First pair of legs small with slender claw, second and third pairs very large and stout with stout, heavy claw, and



================================================================================

104 Psyche [August
with the outer anterior angle of the tarsus produced into a distinct point.
Abdomen elongated with nearly parallel sides, entirely without chitinized tergal and sternal plates, the derm having a reticulated appearance. Each segment, except the first and second, with a single transverse row of stout spines that are somewhat longer than the segment. First and second segments apparently fused, the first without spines. Second segment with six to eight spines. Third to sixth segments with eighteen to twenty-two spines, all spaced very closely. Seventh with about sixteen spines which are for the most part longer and more slender than those on the other segments, the second from the meson on each side being especially long and slender, reaching beyond the end of the ab- domen. Eighth segment with about twenty long, slender hairs. On the ventral side the arrangement of the spines is in general similar, except that the eighth segment bears no spines and the ninth has a group of stout spines near each lateral margin. Six pairs of pleural plates present.
The first
pair, which may be assigned to the second seg- ment, is divided into two parts, one lying on the dorsal side of the abdomen and the other on the ventral side with three or four spines in the space between. The dorsal piece is long, somewhat broadened posteriorly, with the inner posterior angle extended into a roundly pointed process and bears a single very long hair and an inconspicuous spine on the pos- terior margin. The ventral piece is shorter, somewhat broadened at the posterior end and bears no spines. Plates of the third segment appressed to the dorsum and partially over- lapping the fourth segment ; inner posterior angle produced into a rounded tooth and a single long hair on the posterior margin. Plates of the fourth segment similar but smaller, pro- jecting from the body wall and likewise bear- Fig, 5, Fahrm- ing a long stout hair. Plates of the fifth to hofe& f~ihha
seventh segments similar to those of the fourth nov.; genitalia of
male.
but somewhat smaller and without hairs.




================================================================================

19161 Ferris~Notes on Anoplura and Mallophaga 105 Description of the male: Length, 1.15 mm.; length of head, .16 mm. ; length of abdomen, .9 mm. ; width of head, .15 mm.; width of thorax, .16 mm.; width of abdomen, .41 mm. Similar to the female except for its smaller size.
End of the abdomen rounded.
Genitalia of a very different type from those of F, pinnata, the basal plate rather short and slender, widening abruptly to the posterior end and with the posterior margin deeply concave. Parameres stout, nearly as long as the basal plate, diverging pos- teriorly and partially enclosing the penis which is short and stout, with short, widely diverging arms.
Enderleinellus longiceps Kellogg & Ferris. From skins, in the Stanford University collection, of Sciurus niger rufiventer (De Kalb Co., Ind.) and Sciurus arizonensis huachucha (Huachucha Mts., Ariz.) .
The specimens from S. niger agree very well with the type, but those from 8. arizonensis are referred to this species provisionally, further study and more material may, perhaps, show them to be distinct. The host of the type is recorded only as "Western Gray Squirrel" (Lincoln, Neb.) and may be either 8. niger rufiventer or S. carolinensis carolinensis, both of which occur in that locality. Enderleinellus kelloggi sp. nov.
Many specimens, both males and females, from Sciurus griseus griseus, (Pleasant Valley, Mariposa Co., Calif.) and Sciurus griseus nigripes, (Stanford University, Calif.), the type being from the latter.
This species is close to E. longiceps K. & F., the only really tangible differences between the two being found in the genitalia of the males. In E. longiceps the parts of the male armament are very large and very heavily chitinized, while in the new species they are weakly chitinized, smaller and altogether much less conspic- uous. The females of the two species are, on the other hand, practically indistinguishable from each other, although the head of the new species is a trifle the shorter. Named in honor of Prof. Vernon L. Kellogg, by whom this work has been made possible.
Description of the female: Total length, .76 mm.; length of



================================================================================

106 Psyche [August
head, .14 mm.; length of abdomen, .55 mm.; width of head, .1 mm.; width of thorax, .15 mm.; width of abdomen, .31 mm. Head rather cylindrical, the anterior margin very flatly rounded, the lateral margins parallel and practically straight, the temporal angles entirely wanting. Antennae set close to the anterior mar- gin, the second joint the longest, the others subequal. Last three joints slightly wider than the second, giving the antennae a slightly clavate appearance.
Thorax about one and one half times as wide as the head and slightly more than half as long. Lateral margins angularly con- vex, posterior margin straight, the thorax as a whole having the appearance of a distorted hexagon. A pair of rather long median hairs on the posterior margin of the mesothorax and a short spine slightly in from each mesothoracic spiracle. Legs of the type common to the genus, the anterior and middle pairs being small and having slender claws, the posterior pair being very large and stout. Sternal plate spatulate, a narrow handle- like portion projecting between the anterior coxse. Abdomen oval, only slightly longer than wide, the greatest width being near the center. Tergites and sternites without chitinized plates and with the exception of the third sternite, un- divided and bearing but one transverse row of spines. The spines are in general rather slender, bluntly pointed, and slightly longer than the segment on which they are borne. First to third seg- ments each with a median group of four spines, the third also hav- ing a pair of spines near each lateral margin. Fourth and fifth segments each with a median group of eight or ten spines and lateral groups of three or four. Sixth and seventh segments each with a continuous row of eighteen or twenty spines. Eighth with median group of six or eight. Seventh and eighth segments each with two long hairs at the posterior lateral angles. Ninth segment with a narrow, transverse, chitinous band behind which there is a median pair of two small hairs.
Second sternite with a median group of four to six slender spines. Third sternite apparently with two rows of spines, the anterior consisting of four, the posterior of eight, and with the pair of chitinized areas which are practically characteristic of the genus. Fourth sternite with eight spines, fifth and sixth with twelve, seventh with eight, eighth with none. Ninth segment with a group



================================================================================

19161 FerrisÌÔNote on Anoplura and Mallophaga 107 of small spines and a lobe-like process, which bears a single stout spine, at each posterior angle.
Pleural plates present on the second to fifth segments, rather tri- angular in shape, with the posterior angles rounded and the pos- terior margin slightly emarginate. Each with a pair of very small spines on the posterior margin.
Description of the male:
Total length, .62 mm.; length of
head, .13 mm.; length of abdomen, .41 mm.; width of head, .1 mm. ; width of thorax, .15 mm. ; width of abdomen, .23 mm. Head and thorax similar to those of the female. Abdomen,
however, with narrow but distinct chitinized areas on the third to eighth tergites. First to third tergites with median group of four to six spines, fourth to eighth with median group of six which occupy the length of the chitinized area. Fourth and fifth with lateral groups of two spines, sixth to eighth with lateral groups of three or four. Seventh sternites without chitinized areas, the ar- rangement and number of the spines being as on the dorsum, with the exception of the double row on the third sternite. Pleural plates as in female.
Genitalia weakly chitinized, the parts of the mesosome being very small and inconspicuous. Basal plate divided into two slender parallel rods.
Enderleinellus sphserocephalus Nitzsch.
Pediculus sphwocephalus Nitzsch, Germar's Mag. f. Ent., Vol. 3, p. 305 (1818) ; Hoematopinus sphoprocephalus Denny, Mon. Anopl. Brit., p. 36 (1842) ; Polyplax (?) sphoprocephalus Dalla Torre, Gen- era Insec. Anoplura, p. 14; (1908); Enderleinellus spharocepJialus Fahrenholz, 2001. Anz., Vol: 39, p. 56 (1912). From Sciurus douglasi albolimbatus (Yosemite National Park, Calif.), S. hudsonicus vancouverensis (Kuiu Island, Alaska) and - S. hudsonicus petulans (Glacier Bay, Alaska). The occurrence of this species upon some species of American squirrels and not upon others is an interesting point in the problem of the distribution of these ectoparasites. The range of Sciurus qriseus coincides in part with the range of S. douglasi, in fact the two often live in the same trees, yet they harbor very distinct species of Enderleinellus. S. douglasi and S. hudsonicus, with their various subspecies, certainly get no closer than the width of Behring



================================================================================

108 Psyche , [August
Straits to 8. vulgaris and its various subspecies of Europe and Asia, but all have what is apparently the same species of Enderleinellus. The student of these parasites is forced to the conclusion that the