B RAR.Y OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 590 v.l-2. cop. 2 BIOLOGY Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. University of Illinois Library L161— O-1096 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS VOLUME 1 NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM CHICAGO, U.S.A. 1950 i! THt U3SARY CF Ti!£ MAR 141950 Editors KARL P. SCHMIDT LILLIAN A. ROSS SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO A MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE AEDEAGUS WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES ROBERT TRAUB MAJOR, MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS DEPARTMENT OF PARASITOLOGY ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT RESEARCH AND GRADUATE SCHOOL ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, WASHINGTON, D. C. FIELD IANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS VOLUME 1 Published by CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM FEBRUARY 28, 1950 Contribution No. 277 from the Entomological Laboratories of the University of Illinois. This is a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology in the Graduate School of the University of Illinois, 1947. Published under the auspices of The Surgeon General, United States Army, who does not necessarily assume responsibility for the professional opinions expressed by the author. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM PRESS PREFACE To Dr. W. P. Hayes, Professor of Entomology of the University of Illinois, I am indebted for his inspiration, his helpful criticisms, and his stress on a knowledge and use of morphology as a foundation for systematics. Dr. W. V. Balduf of the same institution was very helpful in aiding with taxonomic problems encountered early in this study. I have been fortunate in being associated with a group of most co-operative colleagues and scientists. Dr. Karl Jordan of the British Museum (Natural History) has been extremely kind in devoting some of his valuable time to check- ing parts of this manuscript. His criticisms are greatly appreciated. Dr. Jordan was also instrumental in obtaining valuable specimens for study. The same should be said for Drs. W. L. Jellison and Glen M. Kohls of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana; G. P. Holland of the Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, British Columbia; Frank M. Prince of the San Francisco Plague Suppressive Laboratory of the United States Public Health Service; and E. W. Jameson, Jr., of Cornell University. I wish to thank the following staff members of the United States National Museum for their co-operation in allowing me to use their facilities and speci- mens, and/or for aid in criticizing parts of the manuscript: Drs. H. E. Ewing, C. F. W. Muesebeck, E. A. Chapin, R. E. Snodgrass, and E. W. Baker. I am indebted to Colonel Clifford C. Gregg, Director of Chicago Natural History Museum, for his kindness in arranging for the publication of this paper; to Mr. Karl P. Schmidt, Chief Curator of the Department of Zoology, and Messrs. William J. Gerhard, Rupert L. Wenzel, and Henry S. Dybas of the Division of Insects for their help both in arranging for the loan of their collections and in editing the manuscript; and to Mr. Harry Hoogstraal, Field Associate of the Department of Zoology, for having given me the opportunity to collect a most interesting series of fleas while with the Fourth Hoogstraal Biological Expedition to Mexico. It is difficult even to attempt to assess my debt to the Army Medical Depart- ment Research and Graduate School, Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., where my work was done (while I was registered at the University of Illinois for two sessions in absentia). Colonel R. L. Holt was most generous in allowing me full use of these facilities. Lieutenant Colonel G. W. Hunter III and Major W. Gaudy were also very helpful. I wish to thank Miss Gertrude Rust and Mrs. B. S. Lindberg for their kind co-operation in respect to the secretarial work. I am also in debt to Dr. K. M. Sommerman and Mr. John Gray Gammons for much technical assistance. 3 4 PREFACE Above all, I appreciate the assistance of my wife, to whom the preparation of this manuscript was more than a chore. ROBERT TRAUB CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 9 INTRODUCTION 11 PART I DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES 13 Family Ceratophyllidae 13 Revision of the Genus Jellisonia Traub 13 Jellisonia klotsi Traub 14 Jellisonia hayesi sp. nov 17 Jellisonia hayesi hayesi subsp. nov 17 Jellisonia hayesi breviloba subsp. nov 19 Jellisonia dybasi sp. nov 19 Jellisonia ironsi (Eads) 20 Jellisonia bullisi (Augustson) 21 Comment on the Genus Jellisonia 23 Key to Known Species of Jellisonia 23 Revision of the Genus Pleochaetis Jordan 24 Pleochaetis Jordan s. str 25 Pleochaetis mathesoni sp. nov 26 Pleochaetis sibynus (Jordan) 29 Pleochaetis parus sp. nov 31 Pleochaetis equatoris equatoris (Jordan) 32 Pleochaetis equatoris asetus subsp. nov 33 Pleochaetis dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild) 34 Pleochaetis dolens quitanus (Jordan) 36 Pleochaetis apollinaris (Jordan and Rothschild) 36 Pleochaetis vermiformis sp. nov 37 Pleochaetis paramundus sp. nov . 38 Pleochaetis mundus (Jordan and Rothschild) 40 Pleochaetis schmidti sp. nov 41 Comment on the Genus Pleochaetis 43 Key to Known Species of Pleochaetis 43 Kohlsia gen. nov 45 Kohlsia osgoodi sp. nov 46 Kohlsia graphis (Rothschild) 49 Kohlsia graphis erana subsp. nov 49 Kohlsia graphis graphis (Rothschild) 50 Kohlsia gammonsi sp. nov 51 Kohlsia uniseta sp. nov 52 Kohlsia cora sp. nov 54 Kohlsia campaniger (Jordan) 55 5 CONTENTS PAGE Comment on the Genus Koklsia 56 Key to Known Species of Kohlsia 56 Descriptions of New Ceratophyllid Fleas from Mexico 57 Foxella hoogstraali sp. nov 57 Orckopeas fulleri sp. nov 60 Polygenis adocetus sp. nov 63 Family Hystrichopsyllidae 67 Notes on the Genus Ctenophthalmus in North America, with Descriptions of New Species 67 Ctenophthalmus Kolenati 67 Ctenophthalmus haagi sp. nov 68 Ctenophthalmus expansus sp. nov 70 Ctenophthalmus sanborni sp. nov 72 Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes micropus subsp. nov 73 Strepsylla gen. nov. and Notes on Related Genera 74 Strepsylla gen. nov 75 Comparative Table of Strepsylla and Related Genera 76 Strepsylla mina sp. nov 77 Strepsylla fautini sp. nov 80 Notes on the Genus Corrodopsylla in North America 81 Corrodopsylla currata lira subsp. nov 81 Corrodopsylla hamiltoni (Traub) 84 Host Relationships of Corrodopsylla 84 Status of the Name Corrodopsylla 84 Family Pulicidae 85 Pulex sinoculus sp. nov 85 PART II THE COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF THE AEDEAGUS OF SIPHONAPTERA FROM MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA 89 History of the Study of the Aedeagus 89 Methods of Preparing the Aedeagus for Study 90 Morphology of the Aedeagus 90 Comparative Morphology of the Aedeagus 92 Family Hystrichopsyllidae 93 Stenoponia Jordan and Rothschild 93 Hystrichopsytta Taschenberg 95 Strepsylla gen. nov 95 Corrodopsylla Wagner 96 Ctenophthalmus Kolenati 97 The Aedeagus of Hystrichopsyllid Genera 97 Family Ceratophyllidae 98 Diamanus Jordan 98 Nosopsyllus Jordan 99 Foxella Wagner 99 Orchopeas Jordan 100 Ceratophyllus Curtis 101 CONTENTS 7 PAGE Opisodasys Jordan 102 Pleochaetis Jordan 102 Kohlsia gen. nov 103 Jellisonia Traub 103 Dasypsyllus Baker 104 Leptopsylla Jordan and Rothschild 105 Polygenis Jordan 105 The Aedeagus of Ceratophyllid Genera 107 Family Ischnopsyllidae 107 Myodopsylla Jordan and Rothschild 107 Sternopsylla Jordan and Rothschild 108 The Aedeagus of Ischnopsyllid Genera 109 Family Pulicidae 109 Xenopsylla Glinkiewicz 109 Ctenocephalides Stiles and Collins 110 Pulex Linnaeus Ill Hoplopsyllus Baker 112 The Aedeagus of Pulicid Genera 113 Family Hectopsyllidae 113 Echidnophaga Olliff 113 Tunga Jarocki 114 The Aedeagus of Hectopsyllid Genera 115 PART III REFERENCES 116 HOST INDEX 120 INDEX 121 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 125 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATE 1, 2. Jellisonia klotsi Traub. 3, 4. Jellisonia hayesi hayesi sp. and subsp. nov. 5. JeUisonia hayesi breviloba sp. and subsp. nov. and Jellisonia dybasi sp. nov. 6, 7. Jellisonia ironsi (Eads) . 8, 9. Jellisonia buttisi (Augustson). 10, 11. Pleochaetis mathesoni sp. nov. 12, 13. Pleochaetis sibynus (Jordan). 14, 15. Pleochaetis parus sp. nov. 16. Pleochaetis equatoris equatoris (Jordan). 17. Pleochaetis equatoris asetus subsp. nov. 18. 19. Pleochaetis dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild). 20. Pleochaetis dolens quitanus (Jordan), Pleochaetis vermiformis sp. nov., and Pleochaetis apollinaris (Jordan and Rothschild). 21, 22. Pleochaetis paramundus sp. nov. 23, 24. Pleochaetis mundus (Jordan and Rothschild). 25, 26. Pleochaetis schmidti sp. nov. 27, 28. Kohlsia osgoodi sp. nov. 29, 30. Kohlsia graphis erana subsp. nov. and Kohlsia graphis graphis (Rothschild). 31. Kohlsia gammonsi sp. nov. 32. Kohlsia uniseta sp. nov. 33. Kohlsia cora sp. nov. and Kohlsia campaniger (Jordan). 34. Foxella hoogstraali sp. nov. and Foxella ignota ignota (Baker). 35. Foxella hoogstraali sp. nov. 36. 37. Orchopeas fulleri sp. nov. 38, 39. Polygenis adocetus sp. nov. and Polygenis gwyni (C. Fox). 40. Ctenophthalmus haagi sp. nov. 41. Ctenophthalmus expansus sp. nov. 42. Ctenophthalmus sanborni sp. nov. 43. Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes pseudagyrtes Baker and Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes micropus subsp. nov. 44. Strepsylla mina sp. nov. 45. Strepsylla mina sp. nov. and Strepsylla fautini sp. nov. 46. Strepsylla fautini sp. nov. 47. CorrodopsyUa curvata lira subsp. nov. and DoratopsyUa blarinae C. Fox. 48. CorrodopsyUa hamiltoni (Traub) and Corrodopsytta curvata curvata (Rothschild). 49. Pulex sinoculus sp. nov. and Pulex irritans Linnaeus. 50. Pulex sinoculus sp. nov. 9 10 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATE 51. Leptopsytta segnis (Schonherr), Orchopeas leucopus (Baker), Stenoponia americana (Baker), and Hystrichopsylla gigas dippiei Rothschild. 52. Dasypsyllus gattinulae perpinnatus (Baker), Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bosc), Diamanus montanus (Baker), and CeratophyUus riparius Jordan and Rothschild. 53. XenopsyUa cheopis (Rothschild), Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis), CtenocephcUides felis (Bouch^), Hoplopsyllus anomalus (Baker), and Hoplopsyllus affinis (Baker). 54. Opisodasys hollandi Traub, Myodopsylla cottinsi Kohls, Sternopsylla texana (C. Fox), Echidnophaga gattinacea (Westwood), and Tunga penetrans (Linnaeus). INTRODUCTION Within the last several years there has been a rapidly growing interest in the study of fleas. This has been due, in part, to the importance of these insects in the epidemiology of plague and other diseases; but it has also been the result of a growing realization of the fascinating biological and taxonomic problems that are to be found in the study of ectoparasitic arthropods. Of these, few insect groups present more interesting problems regarding affinities and host relationships than do the fleas. To date, most research on fleas has had to be concerned with systematics, and international authorities such as Dr. Karl Jordan have spent a large part of their time in laying the foundations of flea taxonomy. Still, there are many gaps in our knowledge of the systematics of fleas. The flea fauna of certain large geographic areas of the world is virtually unknown. Among other reasons, this is partly because of the fact that their fauna has not been investigated and partly because fleas are not easy to collect. The present study furnishes a strik- ing example of how little is known about the fleas of such areas. There have been relatively few species reported from Central America and Mexico, yet twenty- five new species and subspecies and two new genera from this region are described below. There are also many lacunae in our knowledge of the fleas even of well- collected areas; these gaps may be due in part to the extinction of intermediate forms along with their hosts during the geologic history of mammals. Despite the many contributions that have broadened our understanding of the order, there are certain aspects of Siphonapterology that have received rela- tively little attention: for example, bionomics, comparative morphology of the larvae, and comparative studies of the aedeagus to assess its taxonomic value. This neglect is to be expected, in view of the relatively recent development of flea taxonomy, for it has been repeatedly shown that systematics is a necessary prerequisite to such studies. The purpose of the present study is two-fold : to provide an introduction to the fleas of Central America and Mexico, and, in so doing, to demonstrate the taxonomic importance of the aedeagus in the classification both of species and of higher categories. In Part I of this paper new genera and species are described and two genera are revised. The aedeagus is described for each new species, and characters are noted that are considered to possess generic and specific value; these characters are utilized in the revisions. A new genus from Mexico is shown to be related to several North American genera, each of which has, in the past, been placed 11 12 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 in a different family or subfamily. The structure of the aedeagus is cited as evidence of the relationships of these genera. Additional material makes it possible not only to describe the aedeagus of the new forms and related species, but to include also (in Part II) a comparative study of the aedeagus of each of twenty-six genera (representing five families) from Central America and Mexico. Three genera that have been reported from the region are not treated here because of lack of material. In all, the aedeagi of fifty-two species and subspecies are figured. Subfamily and family characters are discussed, and, on the basis of aedeagal characters, changes in the family assignment of two genera are proposed. Snodgrass (1946), in his excellent morphological study of the intromittent apparatus of nine genera of fleas, states that his study "probably will show the principal types of structural modifications ... in the ... order, but only a more intensified study will determine what value the genital characters may have for taxonomic purposes." It is hoped that the present paper will demonstrate this value. A glance at the last few plates will aid in visualizing the type of aedeagal characters described. Unfortunately it is impractical to prepare a monograph of the fleas of Central America and Mexico at the present time. Such a "monograph" would be woe- fully out of date by the time of publication. Probably not more than half of the genera that occur in the region are yet reported; eleven are here recorded for the first time. The same situation holds for the species. While I was parasitologist of the Fourth Hoogstraal Biological Expedition to Mexico in 1941, I collected ten new species and two others previously known from only one sex, in one relatively small area, the vicinity of Tancitaro, Michoacan. PART I DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES As stated in the introduction, this section consists of descriptions of new genera and species and revisions of certain important genera of fleas from Central America and Mexico. I have tried, by means of these descriptions and revisions, to evaluate the taxonomic characters of the aedeagus and, in so doing, to develop a concept of specific and generic aedeagal characters for the Order. It will readily be seen that certain of these characters serve to separate species easily; examples of such characters are the shape of the crochets and lateral lobes, the modifications of the median dorsal lobe, and the structure of the armature of the inner tube. On the other hand, the position of the crochets, the type of median dorsal lobe, and the presence of accessory sclerites seem to constitute valid generic characters. The aedeagal characters are again discussed at the generic and family level in Part II of the paper. The terminology of the aedeagus that is used herein is based, in the main, on the studies made by Snodgrass (1946). It should be noted that the material studied demonstrates that the fleas of the higher altitudes of Mexico and Central America apparently exhibit a closer relationship with those of North America than with those of South America. Polygenis Jordan and Rhopalopsyllus Baker are typically South American, but the other genera discussed are fundamentally North American in their affinities. Pleochaetis Jordan extends into South America as well as the United States, but reaches its greatest development in Mexico and Central America. Because the Pleochaetis complex of genera (including Jellisonia Traub) is so characteristic of the region, it is discussed first. Descriptions of new species of other ceratophyllid genera follow. The family Hystrichopsyllidae, here repre- sented by three genera, is treated next, and the description of a new Pukx (family Pulicidae) concludes this part. All measurements of tibiae and tarsi (petiolate base excluded) are in microns. Family CERATOPHYLLIDAE REVISION OF THE GENUS JELLISONIA TRAUB Fleas of the genus Jellisonia Traub 1944 are apparently widely distributed on rodents in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Two species were discovered in the course of investigations on Bullis fever and murine typhus in Texas. A discussion of the genus is pertinent because of the existence in collec- 13 14 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 tions of several undescribed species and new records, and because of the varied nomenclature in the literature. A review of the fleas of this genus also demon- strates the excellent taxonomic characters to be found in the aedeagus. The following descriptions were made from specimens • mounted in balsam or from specimens that were remounted after partial extrusion of the aedeagus had been accomplished by means of sharp needles. Genus JELLISONIA Traub Jellisonia Traub, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser., 29, (15), p. 211, 1944. Pleochaetoides Augustson, Jour. Parasit., 30, (6), p. 366, 1944 (Jan., 1945). New synonymy. Genotype: Jellisonia klotsi Traub 1944. The genus Jellisonia superficially resembles Pleochaetis Jordan 1933 but is readily separated by the presence of the stout bristle on the distal arm of the ninth sternum, the micro-mucronate crochets, the very well-developed armature of the sheath of the inner lobe of the aedeagus, the tibial comb, the arched sperma- theca, and the absence of the dorsal bristle of the anal stylet. Frontal tubercle distinct. Head regions each with three rows of bristles. Eye well pigmented. Genal ctenidium absent. Pedicel of antenna with bristles shorter than clavus. Labial palpi not extending beyond apex of procoxae. Prothoracic ctenidium of about 16 or 18 spines. Profemora each with about five small lateral bristles. Meso- and metacoxae without small mesal bristles on proximal half. At least some of dorso-lateral bristles of protibiae, and usually of mesotibiae, from near middle to apex short and subequal in size, forming a comb, suggesting Peromyscopsylla I. Fox, or Amphipsylla Wagner. Distal segment of tarsi with most proximal of plantar bristles somewhat displaced ventrad. First four or five abdominal terga with apical spinelets. Typical abdominal terga with two rows of bristles. Only one antepygidial bristle in male, three in female. Males with a stout cephalad-directed bristle or spiniform on distal arm of ninth sternum. jTwo acetabular bristles present. Angle of male ninth sternum with rod or spring. Aedeagus with well-developed subovate lateral lobes enclosing most of end chamber; with a conspicuous acute median dorsal lobe; with crochets apically rugged, micro- tubercu- late. Intersegmental membrane between male eighth and ninth segments expanded. The X-gland of Wagner apparently lacking. Male eighth sternum reduced to a narrow mem- branous flap, often without bristles. Anal stylet of female elongate, with dorsal bristle lacking. Head of spermatheca strongly convex above, with dorsal and ventral margins subparallel. Jellisonia klotsi Traub. Plates 1, 2. Jellisonia klotsi Traub, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser., 29, p. 212, 1944. Male and Female: Head (pi. 1, fig. 1, male). — Fronto-clypeal region with margin evenly rounded, finely granular; frontal tubercle median and distinct. Preantennal region with three rows of bristles; first row of eight or nine small bristles, somewhat irregularly arranged; middle row of four well-developed bristles; ocular row of three large bristles, the largest cephalad and dorsad of the eye. A series of about four very small bristles bordering the antennal groove cephalad and dorsad of the conspicuous well-developed subovate eye. Genal process fairly broad, becoming acuminate. A bristle present at ventral angle of clypeus, between the small labrum and the well-developed four-segmented maxillary palpus. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 15 Epipharyngeal stiletto (EPX.) arising between maxillary palpi, somewhat dilated apically. Maxillary lobe (MX.) an acute triangle, extending almost to apex of fourth segment of labial palpi (L.P.), which in turn extend about three-fourths of the length of the procoxae. Maxil- lary laciniae (LAC.) (mandibles of authors) lightly sclerotized, with subapical micro-serra- tions. Bristles on scape of antenna subequal to or shorter than scape. A row of very small bristles bordering dorsal margin of antennal fossa. Postantennal region with three rows of bristles arranged 4-5-5, the most caudal the longest; small hairs intercalated between some of the large bristles. Thorax. — With fine bristles preceding the nine pronotal ctenidial spines on each side; a few small hairs intercalated between some of the bristles. Meso- and metanota with two rows of bristles, the most caudal the longest, preceded by a few small hairs. Mesonotum with three seta-like extensions, suggesting thin elongate spinelets. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with three bristles, one very small. Usually with seven bristles on mesepimeron (MPM.) but sometimes with eight, because of displacement of the most caudal mesepisternal bristle or because of an accessory small bristle near the spiracle. Metanotal flange with an apical spinelet. Lateral metanotal area of metathorax well developed, quadrate, with two bristles near the caudal margin. Metepisternum with one bristle in dorso-caudal angle. Metepi- meron with nine bristles in two irregular rows of four, plus one bristle at dorso-caudal angle. Legs. — Meso- and metacoxae with a submedian lateral longitudinal sclerotization, and a mesal somewhat trident-shaped longitudinal sclerotization, the caudal arm of the trident reduced to a spur joining the lateral sclerotization medially and with the caudal branch of the trident proximally joining the lateral sclerotization. Profemora with about ten small thin lateral bristles; meso- and metafemora with one each. Tibial comb (pi. 1, fig. 2) formed by a row of about eight short and subequal dorse-lateral bristles. Proportionate measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 163 67 67 54 38 80 Meso- 288 160 115 70 47 90 Meta- 390 256 176 112 64 102 None of tarsal bristles reaching beyond apex of following segment; apical bristles of third segment of metatarsus subequal to fourth segment. Distal tarsal segment of each leg with four pairs of lateral plantar bristles and a somewhat displaced median basal pair. Blade of unguis somewhat over twice the length of the thickened recurved basal portion. Abdomen. — First tergum with three rows of bristles, the first row very incomplete. Male with one or two apical teeth on first tergum; second and third terga with two teeth on each side, the fourth with one. Female with tergal teeth 1-2-2-1. Caudal row of bristles on abdominal segments two to six much larger than those of cephalic row and extending ventrad to spiracles. One bristle on each side of basal sternum. Male sterna three to six with two bristles. Female with these bristles 3-2 (3) -2-2. Male with middle antepygidial bristle (pi. 1, fig. 3, A.B.) well developed, others vestigial. Female with three antepygidial bristles (pi. 2, fig. 6) ; middle one twice the length of the others. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 1, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum large, with bristles near the spiculose dorsal margin arranged 1-3-4, the last the longest, and with two or three bristles near the ventro-caudal margin. Eighth sternum (8 S.) reduced, long and narrow, apically produced into a globular membranous flap with faint striations; without bristles. Intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth segments enlarged and spiculose, part produced into a prominent rounded or subtruncate process (PR.). Immovable process (P. and pi. 2, fig. 1) of clasper conical, apically rounded, elongate, extending as far dorsad as movable finger; with three bristles at apex, the most caudal about 16 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 three times the length of the others. Caudal margin of immovable process sharply convex at insertion of acetabular bristles. Movable finger of clasper (F. and pi. 2, fig. 1) subequal to immovable process in width; elongate, about five times as long as wide; cephalic margin fairly straight distally, caudal margin gently curving cephalad; ventral margin shallowly concave. Movable finger with six caudal, marginal or submarginal, elongate, mesally in- serted stout bristles, the ventral three appearing more as spiniforms. Most distal stout bristle of movable finger, inserted at apical third, is longest, more than three times as long as finger is wide. Two stout bristles, somewhat more than half as long, inserted immediately proximad, above midpoint. Most dorsal submarginal spiniform just proximad of midpoint; most ventral at ventro-caudal angle and somewhat wider than others; the second spiniform almost midway between. Movable finger with three small marginal apical bristles, four or five smaller, scattered mesal bristles, and three such mesal bristles on caudal margin near insertion of finger. Manubrium (MB.) narrowing very gradually; somewhat wider at base than tergal apodeme of ninth tergum (T.AP.9), which forms dorso-proximal portion of clasper lobe; curved cephalad at bluntly rounded apex. Ninth tergum apparently reduced to an indefinite area between its apodeme and clasper lobe. Subpygidial sclerite of Wagner not apparent, perhaps reduced to a small subcircular median sclerotization on a triangular sclerotized area of the ninth tergum. Ninth sternum very well developed, boomerang-shaped. Proximal arm (P.A.9) of ninth sternum well sclerotized, about five-sixths as long as distal arm; apex acute; dorsal margin convex apically; ventral margin concave apically and triangularly acutely produced proximad of sinus. Distal arm (D.A.9 and pi. 2, fig. 7) of ninth sternum about twelve or more times as long as wide at base; apical two-thirds biconvex on ventral (apparently caudal) margin, with a prominent sinus separating the two lobes. Proximal lobe of distal arm with two short spiniforms and about four very small bristles on margin. Apical lobe of distal arm distally rounded, with three short spiniforms distad of sinus. Distal arm with a row of fine short bristles extending its length, and a few scattered similar bristles. Morpho- logically dorsal (apparently cephalic) margin of distal arm with a conspicuous, very long, stout, cephalad-directed bristle inserted at distal third, near the height of a shallow convexity. A much smaller stoutish bristle inserted apicad. Angle of ninth sternum with a rod or spring extending ventro-cephalad, uncoiled, shorter than penis rods (P.R.). Aedeagal apodeme (AE.A., pi. 1, fig. 4) somewhat longer than aedeagus proper (AED.), about four times as long as wide, widest at middle but subcylindrical ; middle plate somewhat longer than lateral plates, resulting in a proximal spur-like extension. Base of aedeagus proper curving ventrad, convex ventrally. Lateral lobes (L.L.) very well developed, arising from base of aedeagus, curving dorso-caudad of median dorsal lobe, sinuate caudally, marginally somewhat sclerotized. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) simple, apically bent at right angles, acuminate. Crochets (CR.) well developed ; ventral margin proximally concave, then straight; dorsal margin strongly biconcave; apex sub truncate with four or five rows of micro-mucrons (pi. 2, fig. 3). Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) paired and bifid; the dorsal process conspicuous, elongate, tapering somewhat, with sinuate sides and a truncate but slightly expanded apex. Ventral process of armature lightly sclerotized, ex- tending toward crochets. Inner tube (S.I.T.) extending somewhat apicad between processes of its armature. A pair of membranous expansions extending distad from inner tube region, reaching ventrad nearly to crochets. Apodemal strut supporting inner tube consisting of narrow lateral lobes and a larger median lobe extending to base of armature of inner tube. Narrow crescentic or rectangular sclerotizations dorsad of heavier lobes of apodemal strut. Penis rods (P.R.) not coiled, extending shortly beyond cephalic end of aedeagal apodeme. Ventral intramural rod of endophallus (I.R.) well developed. Tenth abdominal segment conspicuous; sensilium relatively flat; dorsal lobe of proctiger conical, extending dorsad to apex of immovable clasper and with three apical bristles and TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 17 proximal small hairs; ventral lobe of proctiger subconical and with a series of marginal bristles, those at apex longest. Proximal ventral sclerite well developed, triangular, with apex cephalad. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 2, fig. 6). — Seventh sternum (7 S. and pi. 2, fig. 5) with an acute deep sinus near ventral border, forming two lobes; ventral lobe rounded, extended somewhat more caudad, but distance variable (pi. 2, fig. 5) ; dorsal lobe acute. Seventh sternum with caudal margin shallowly concave dorsad of acute dorsal lobe. Seventh sternum on each side with a row of 4 (or 3) well-developed bristles and with a very small bristle between third and fourth. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with a few small hairs in two rows dorsad of spiracle; four bristles, two very small, ventrad of sensilium; three caudal marginal bristles, one very small, by caudal sinus; one small bristle ventrad of ventral anal lobe; and four bristles near ventral margin, one very small. Eighth sternum (8 S.) narrow, without bristles. Dorsal anal lobe with two fairly long dorsal bristles and a few scattered small hairs. Anal stylet (pi. 2, fig. 4) about three times as long as wide at base, with the ventral bristle about one-fourth of the length of the apical, and with a minute vestige of dorsal and subapical bristles. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L.) angulate, with three bristles on ventro- caudal margin, two long apical bristles, and a few marginal or submarginal small hairs. Head of spermatheca (SP. and pi. 2, fig. 2) strongly convex above, slightly concave below. Tail of spermatheca slightly longer than head, almost three-fourths as wide as head, and slightly narrower at base, with a very small tubercle at apex. Bursa copulatrix (B.C.) with apex bluntly lanceolate. Records. — Known only from the type host and locality: Reithrodontomys c. chrysopsis Merriam (harvest mouse); Mexico, State of Michoacan, Tancitaro, near municipality of Tancitaro; collected at 7,800-10,500 feet altitude, June and July, 1941, by the author. In the descriptions that follow, unless otherwise indicated, comparisons are made with J. klotsi, and only differences are pointed out. Jellisonia hayesi sp. nov. Near klotsi Traub but with labial palpi and stilettos extending about five-sixths of the length of the procoxae. Male distinct in the following respects : The expansion of the inter- segmental membrane between the eighth and ninth segments is triangular, not sub- truncate; the eighth sternum is apically narrowed, not expanded; the movable finger has a median spiniform in addition to submarginal ones; the acetabular bristles are inserted on a narrowed expanded truncate portion of the immovable process; the distal arm of the ninth sternum is much more narrowed apically than proximally. The crochets are flask-shaped, with base globular, not narrowed. The dorsal process of the armature of the sheath of the inner tube is straight, not curved, and the apex is expanded. Female without a deep sinus on the seventh sternum, or with the dorsal lobe extending more caudad than the ventral lobe. This species is represented by two subspecies. Jellisonia hayesi hayesi subsp. nov. Plates 3, 4. With seven bristles in first preantennal row of bristles (pi. 3, fig. 1, male). First post- antennal row with seven bristles. Mesepisternum with two or three fine thin bristles near cephalic margin, with one similar and two much larger median bristles, and with two longer caudal bristles. Mesepimeron with six bristles in two rows of three. Metepimeron with 18 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 seven bristles arranged 3-3-1. Proportionate measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 156 73 67 57 45 86 Meso- 272 150 108 72 52 96 Meta- 352 256 172 102 60 102 Abdominal terga with apical spinelets arranged 1-2-1-1. Male sterna three to six with two bristles, at times with three; female with three. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 3, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum with bristles on dorsal half arranged 1-2-4, the last very long; two large bristles near ventro-caudal margin. Eighth sternum (8 S.) reduced to a very narrow elongate structure without bristles but apically with delicate tiny frayed extensions (pi. 3, fig. 4). Intersegmental membrane be- tween eighth and ninth segments greatly enlarged to form a conspicuous, filamentous, spicu- lose, marginally finely tufted triangular process (PR.) extending caudad as far as apex of distal arm of ninth sternum. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 4, fig. 1) conical but caudal margin apically curving cephalad and ventrally produced caudad into a relatively narrow truncate expansion bearing the acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 4, fig. 1) more than one and one- half times as wide as immovable process; ventral margin straight; two marginal long stout bristles mesially inserted near apical third, a thin mesal spiniform inserted basad of the most ventral bristle; a mesal submarginal spiniform inserted at ventral third; a median mesal stouter spiniform inserted near origin of acetabular bristles; another stout submarginal mesal spiniform near ventro-caudal angle; a few thin marginal bristles as shown in figure. Distance from apex of tergal apodeme of ninth segment (T.AP.9) to immovable finger almost twice the length of the slightly constricted, apically rounded manubrium. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 4, fig. 3) caudally with a prominent bulge or lobe bearing two small marginal spiniforms and about fifteen long thin bristles, many marginal; apical portion caudally shallowly convex, apically gradually narrowed, forming a broad ellipse with about twenty bristles, mostly long and thin; submarginal cephalic border with a thin bristle apicad of cephalad-directed long spiniform. Aedeagal apodeme (AE.A., pi. 3, fig. 5) somewhat arched medially. Lateral lobes (L.L.) more vertical than in J. klotsi, extending more ventrad ; caudal margin doubly though shallowly sinuate, well sclerotized marginally. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) consisting apically of approximately appressed, narrow acuminate dorsal and ventral sections; dorsal member with a somewhat concave outer margin. Crochets (CR.) well developed, flask- shaped, with base globular and neck gently upcurved ; apex subconical, with about six rows of micro-mucrons. An elongate sclerotization extending from dorsal margin of base of aedeagus to base of crochet. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) with dorsal process subrectangular and truncate. Inner tube (S.I.T.) sclerotized apicad of armature, curved like a blunt hook. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 4, fig. 4). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorsal margin shallowly concave and produced into a long acuminate lobe; sinus ventrad of dorsal lobe twice width of that lobe; ventral lobe broad, evenly rounded. Seventh sternum with four long bristles immediately preceded by an irregular row of three smaller ones. Spermatheca (SP., pi. 4, figs. 4, 5) of same general type but somewhat distorted in speci- men. Anal stylet (pi. 4, fig. 6) narrower, about four times as long as wide at base. Holotype. — A male from Mount San Miguel, Michoacan, Mexico, at 6,500 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancftaro. Collected July 31, 1941, by TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 19 Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Peromyscus hylocetes Merriam. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratype. — A male, same data as the holotype. In the collection of Robert Traub. Remarks. — This species is named for Professor W. P. Hayes of the Depart- ment of Entomology of the University of Illinois, to whom I am greatly indebted. Jellisonia hayesi breviloba subsp. nov. Plate 5, figs. 1-3. Specimens from Mexico City closely resemble the typical hayesi in general and in details of the male claspers, but are abundantly distinct. Seventh sternum of female (pi. 5, fig. 2) only somewhat angulate on dorso-caudal margin, lacking a conspicuous acuminate lobe; six bristles, not seven. Distal arm of male ninth sternum (pi. 5, fig. 1) with apex much more narrowed, making an angle of about 45 degrees instead of the 60 degrees or more of the typical form. Distal arm lacking the prominent proximal lobe, merely slightly convex in area bearing the two small spiniforms. Holotype. — A female from Mexico, D. F., Mexico ("near country club"). Collected May 10, 1933, by Dr. Alfonso Dampf. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Microtiis mexicanus Saussure. Allotype. — A female, same data as the holotype. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Paratypes. — A pair, same data as the holotype. In the collection of Dr. Alfonso Dampf. Remarks. — I am greatly indebted to Dr. Dampf for permission to study and describe this subspecies and to use his fine drawing (pi. 5, fig. 1). Jellisonia dybasi sp. nov. Plate 5, figs. 4-6. Only the female is known. Close to klotsi but with sinus of seventh sternum more obtuse, forming an angle of about 40 degrees, and with two small bristles and three large ones, instead of one small and four large bristles. Eighth tergum with two submedian ventral bristles, not three. Mesepimeron with six, not seven, bristles. First segment of mesotarsus relatively smaller, not definitely more than twice the length of the third segment. Head with seven small bristles in first preantennal row; four bristles in second row, the second most ventral bristle very small ; three in most caudal row. Labial palpi extending about three-fourths the length of the procoxae. Postantennal rows of bristles arranged 4-5-5; the most caudal the longest. Mesepisternum with three bristles, the first very small. Mesepimeron with bristles arranged 3-1-2. Metepimeron with bristles arranged 4-4-1. Tibial comb of eight short and subequal bristles. Proportionate measurements of tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 176 66 66 47 37 83 Meso- 282 154 105 78 50 96 Meta-.. . 370 256 172 108 66 102 20 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Seventh sternum (pi. 5, fig. 4, 7 S.) with dorso-caudal margin shallowly concave; with a deep sinus near the ventral margin, the margins of the sinus forming an angle of about 40 degrees, the resulting dorsal lobe somewhat rounded; ventral lobe almost twice as wide as dorsal lobe, rounded. Seventh sternum with five bristles arranged as in figure. Ventral portion of eighth tergum (8 T.) with two submedian bristles, two submarginal bristles and three marginal ones. Spermatheca with tail as long as head and recurved over part of head. Anal stylet (pi. 5, fig. 6) like that of J. klotsi in proportions and presence of minute, vestigial dorsal and subapical bristles. Holotype. — A female from Acajete, State of Vera Cruz, Mexico. Collected from "rodent nest under rock in field," July 30, 1941, by Henry S. Dybas. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Remarks. — The species is named for the collector, Mr. Henry S. Dybas of Chicago Natural History Museum, who has helped me on many occasions. Jellisonia ironsi (Eads). Plates 6, 7. Trichopsylla (Pleochaetis) ironsi Eads, Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., 39, (4), p. 545, figs. 1-5, 1946. Near klotsi Traub and hayesi sp. nov., but male without short proximal spinifdrms on distal arm of ninth sternum; intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth segments not produced into a prominent bulge or flap; movable finger wider, twice as wide as immovable process; and one or two mid-ventral bristles on eighth sternum. Aedeagus with a bifid median dorsal lobe and an accessory lateral tongue-like sclerotization dorsad of lateral lobe of apodemal strut. Female distinct in possessing seven ventro-caudal marginal bristles on eighth tergum instead of two or three. Both sexes with first segment of meso- tarsus relatively much shorter than in klotsi and hayesi, less than twice the length of the third segment. Preantenflal region with one or two small accessory bristles in irregular first row so that total is fl^jne or ten (pi. 6, fig. 1). Labial palpi and stilettos extending about five-sixths the length (|f procoxae. Mesepimeron with seven or eight bristles in irregular rows; usually with four in first row. Metepimeron with about five bristles. Tibial bristles mainly paired so that characteristic comb is apparent only on protibiae, and there reduced. Proportionate measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 57 64 51 44 83 Meso- 290 112 96 66 47 86 Meta- 340 233 160 102 60 99 Abdominal terga with apical spinelets arranged 1-2-1-1. Abdominal sterna three to six with two bristles. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 6, fig. 4). — Eighth tergum with ten bristles: two small, dorsal, marginal; two adjacent, longer; one adjacent, submarginal; three large, median; two large, subventral. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 7, fig. 6) reduced to a narrow flap; biconcave dorsally; widest at middle and apically sharply curving dorsad, acuminate; with subapical fine filamentous tufted projections, spiculose near insertion of midventral bristle (some with two bristles) . Intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth seg- ments (I.M.) spiculose, only slightly expanded, not produced into a truncate or triangular flap. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 21 Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 7, fig. 1) conical though apically rounded, extending distad almost as far as apex of movable finger; caudal margin slightly produced caudad, truncate, at insertion of acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 7, fig. 1) about twice as wide as immovable process; ventral margin slightly concave; five marginal or submarginal, mesally inserted, long stout bristles or spiniforms on caudal margin, the most ventral the stoutest. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 7, fig. 5) clavate, with apex narrowed; caudal margin not sinuate and lobes therefore lacking; about 13 marginal or submarginal bristles, three (near midpoint) much stouter than the others; about 15 smaller thinner scattered bristles, lacking small stout bristle apicad of stout long spiniform on cephalic margin. Aedeagal apodeme (AE.A., pi. 6, fig. 5) tapering gradually. Lateral lobes (L.L.) evenly rounded caudally. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) bifid, each fork acuminate, not angled; ventral fork with a lightly sclerotized extension to inner tube. Crochets (CR.~) with margins almost parallel, base proximally convex, apically somewhat pointed; about six rows of micro-mucrons. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) paired; broad, apically widened; caudal margin sinuate and produced into a ventral acuminate blade. Inner tube (S.I.T.) apicad of armature truncate, caudally produced and curved ventrad. Dorsal margin of aedeagus produced into a pair of elongate, lateral, triangular, tongue-like projections, herein designated accessory lateral lobes (A.L.L.), and extending dorsad of apodemal strut to region of inner tube; apex acute. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 7, fig. 4). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorso- caudal margin shallowly concave, acutely angled and then curving sharply ventrad, forming a pointed, caudad-directed lobe, with a row of five bristles preceded by two smaller ones. Eighth tergum with four ventral marginal bristles, four ventro-caudal marginal bristles, and two subventral median bristles. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 7, fig. 2) of same general type. Records. — Known only from the records of the Texas State Health Depart- ment. Texas: Hallettsville and Yoakum, from Baiomys taylori Thomas, March and April, 1946. Jellisonia bullisi (Augustson). Plates 8, 9. Pleochaetoides bullisi Augustson, Jour. Parasit., 30, p. 366, 4 figs., 1944 (male only). This species is at the end of an evolutionary line in the genus with respect to the width of the movable finger and the development of the tibial comb. Considering those species for which males are known, the series is klotsi, hayesi, ironsi, bullisi. In bullisi the movable finger is very much wider, about four times the width of the apical portion of the immovable process. Many of the dorso-lateral tibial bristles are paired and hence the tibial comb is not apparent. Nearest to ironsi in that the male eighth sternum is of the same general structure and bears a subventral bristle; in that the distal arm of the ninth sternum lacks caudal lobes and short spiniforms; and in that the intersegmental membrane between the eighth and ninth segments is not produced into a flap. Agrees with ironsi in that the aedeagus possesses a bifid median dorsal lobe and an accessory lateral lobe. Unique in the great width of the movable finger; in the reduction of the armature of the sheath of the inner tube and in that the female seventh sternum is not bilobed or angulate. 22 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Agrees with klotsi and ironsi except as noted. First preantennal row of bristles with seven bristles (pi. 8, fig. 1). Labial palpi longer than in klotsi, extending about five-sixths the length of procoxae. Mesepisternum typically with three bristles, one median and two caudal. Mesepimeron with six bristles in two rows of three. Metepimeron with five bristles arranged 2-3-1. Proportionate measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 170 57 57 51 41 96 Meso- 260 116 89 64 48 96 Meta- 340 256 176 108 48 106 As in ironsi, abdominal terga with apical spinelets arranged 1-2-1-1 and abdominal sterna three to six with two bristles. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 8, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum with only five large and two small bristles: two small dorsal bristles, marginal or submarginal ; two large bristles similarly placed but immediately caudad; one large submedian bristle; and two subcaudal and median bristles. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 9, fig. 6) resembling that of ironsi but apex not extended dorsad; dorsal margin not biconvex, and spiculose portion caudad, not cephalad, of bristle. Intersegmental membrane (I.M.) between eighth and ninth segments only slightly expanded, spiculose. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 9, fig. 1) with cephalo-dorsal margin curving ventrad for less than one-half the length of the process, so that immovable process is not con- ical for most of its length; extending almost as far distad as movable finger; two thin apical bristles; caudal margin mildly sinuate and curving ventrad at insertion of acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 9, fig. 1) rhomboidal, about four times the width of the conical portion of the process; four marginal and one submarginal, long, very stout subequal bristles on caudal margin, the submarginal bristle the most ventral. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 9, fig. 5) clavate, but with apex broad, rounded; cephalic margin sinuate, with a well-developed bristle apicad of the very long stout bristle, with scattered thin median and submarginal bristles and with four larger proximal marginal bristles. Aedeagus much like that of ironsi. Aedeagal apodeme (AE.A., pi. 8, fig. 4) slightly narrowed in proximal half. Lateral lobes (L.L.) with a shallow dorsal sinus on caudal margin. Median dorsal lobe bifid, the forks acuminate, subequal, and straight. Crochets (CR.) narrower medially, slightly constructed; base concave. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A./.T.) apparently reduced to a linear sclerotization which is connected with the apex of the lower fork of the median dorsal lobe. Apex of inner tube (S.I.T.) subtruncate, expanded caudad. Accessory lateral lobe more acute, extending distad of inner tube. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 9, fig. 3). — Caudal margin of seventh sternum (7 S.) almost straight, curving caudad near ventral fourth; evenly rounded at ventro- caudal angle. Seventh sternum with five large bristles preceded by a smaller one between third and fourth. Ventral and ventro-caudal portion of eighth tergum with five long bristles arranged as in figure. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 9, fig. 2) of the same general type. Records. — Originally described from white-footed mice, Peromyscus sp., Camp Bullis, Bexar County, Texas. Other records: Texas, Sutton County ex Peromyscus eremicus Baird (records of Dr. F. M. Prince of the United States Public Health Service) ; Mexico, Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, three males and two females ex "Mouse (Peromyscus?)," June, 1940, collected by K. L. Knight on the Third Hoogstraal Biological Expedition. Allotype female from last col- lection; deposited in Chicago Natural History Museum. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 23 Remarks. — The figures were drawn from the Mexican specimens; the latter are very similar to those from Texas. Comment on the Genus Jellisonia The known males of Jellisonia fall into two groups. In klotsi and hayesi, the tibial comb is well developed; the first segment of the mesotarsus is long, more than twice the length of the third segment; the median dorsal lobe of the aedeagus is simple, not bifid; the accessory lateral lobe of the aedeagus is not apparent; the eighth sternum is greatly reduced and without bristles; the movable finger is less than twice the width of the conical portion of the immovable process of the clasper; and the distal arm of the ninth sternum bears short marginal spiniforms. In bullisi and ironsi the tibial comb is almost inapparent; the first segment of the mesotarsus is relatively much shorter, definitely less than twice the length of the third segment; the median dorsal lobe of the aedeagus is bifid; the accessory lateral lobe is well developed; the eighth sternum is medially expanded and bears a bristle; the movable finger is two or more times as wide as the conical portion of the immovable clasper; and the distal arm of the ninth sternum lacks short marginal spiniforms. Study of additional species is necessary before it can be stated that these are valid differences for the delimitation of subgenera. KEY TO KNOWN SPECIES OF JELLISONIA1 1. Males2 , 2 Females 6 2. Median dorsal lobe of aedeagus simple, not divided into two acuminate lobes (pi. 1, fig. 4, M.D.L.) ; movable finger less than twice as wide as conical portion of im- movable process (pi. 2, fig. 1) ; distal arm of ninth sternum with short marginal spiniforms (pi. 2, fig. 7) ; accessory lateral lobe of aedeagus absent (pi. 1, fig. 4) . . 3 Median dorsal lobe apically bifid, with two acuminate lobes (pi. 8, fig. 4, M.D.L.) ; movable finger two or more times width of conical portion of immovable process (pi. 7, fig. 1) ; distal arm of ninth sternum lacking short marginal spiniforms (pi. 7, fig. 5) ; accessory lateral lobe present (pi. 8, fig. 4, A.L.L.) 5 3. Labial palpi extending about three-fourths length of procoxae (pi. 1, fig. 1, L.P.) ; movable finger with all spiniforms marginal or submarginal (pi. 2, fig. 1) ; eighth sternum distally globularly expanded (pi. 1, fig. 3, 8 5.) ; base of crochets narrowed (pi. 1, fig. 4, CK.) klotsi Traub 1944 (p. 14) Labial palpi extending about five-sixths length of procoxae (pi. 3, fig. 1, L.P.); movable finger with median spiniform in addition to marginal or submarginal ones (pi. 4, fig. 1); eighth sternum apically narrowed (pi. 3, fig. 3, 8 S.); crochets with base globular (pi. 3, fig. 5, CR .) 4 4. Distal arm of ninth sternum with apex broad, forming an angle of about 60°, and with prominent proximal lobe (pi. 4, fig. 3). hayesi hayesi sp. and subsp. nov. (p. 17) 1 Only one character in couplet need apply. * The male of J. dybasi sp. nov. is unknown. 24 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Distal arm of ninth sternum with apex narrowed, forming an angle of 45°, and with proximal lobe reduced to a bulge (pi. 5, fig. 1). hayesi breviloba sp. and subsp. nov. (p. 19) 5. Movable finger more than three times width of conical portion of process (pi. 9, fig. 1) ; apex of distal arm of ninth sternum broadly rounded (pi. 9, fig. 5) ; base of crochet concave (pi. 8, fig. 4, CR.) buUisi (Augustson 1944) (p. 21) Movable finger less than three times width of conical portion of process (pi. 7, fig. 1) ; apex of distal arm of ninth sternum narrowed (pi. 7, fig. 5) ; base of crochet convex (pi. 6, fig. 5, CR.) ironsi (Eads 1946) (p. 20) 6. Seventh sternum with deep sinus so that margin is bilobed, dorsal lobe acute (pi. 2, fig. 6,7 S.) 7 Seventh sternum lacking deep sinus, at most shallowly concave; acute dorsal lobe absent (pi. 7, fig. 4, 7 S.) 9 7. Seventh sternum with ventral lobe very large, more than five times width of dorsal lobe (pi. 4, fig. 4, 7 S.) ; with labial palpi extending about five-sixths length of pro- coxae (pi. 3, fig. 1, L.P.) hayesi hayesi sp. and subsp. nov. (p. 17) Seventh sternum with ventral lobe less than four times width of dorsal lobe (pi. 2, fig. 6, 7 S.) ; labial palpi only about three-fourths length of procoxae (pi. 1, fig. 1, L.P.) 8 8. Seventh sternum with sinus very acute, forming an angle of about 30° (pi. 5, fig. 4, 7 S.); seventh sternum with three large bristles and two small ones; first segment of mesotarsus not definitely more than twice length of third segment. dybasi sp. nov. (p. 19) Seventh sternum with sinus more obtuse, forming an angle of about 40° (pi. 2, fig. 6, 7 S.) ; seventh sternum with four large and one small bristle; first segment of meso- tarsus more than twice length of third segment klotsi Traub 1944 (p. 14) 9. Seventh sternum angulate, with submedian caudad-directed pointed lobe (pi. 7, fig. 4, 7 S.) ironsi (Eads 1946) (p. 20) Seventh sternum evenly rounded, even if shallowly sinuate 10 10. Seventh sternum with caudal margin directed almost straight ventrad for most of its length, curving caudad to form a lobe near ventral margin (pi. 9, fig. 3, 7 S.). bullisi (Augustson 1944) (p. 21) Seventh sternum with caudal margin directed ventro-caudad to midpoint, then mildly sinuate and directed ventrad (pi. 5, fig. 2). hayesi breviloba sp. and subsp. nov. (p. 19) REVISION OF THE GENUS PLEOCHAETIS JORDAN Genus PLEOCHAETIS Jordan Pleochaetis Jordan, Nov. Zool., 39, p. 77, 1933. Ceratophyllus (Pleochaetis), loff, Zeitschr. f. Parasitenk., 9, p. 99, 1936. Pleochaetis, Jellison and Good, Bull. Nat. Inst. Health, 178, p. 125, 1942. Trichopsylla Ewing and Fox, Misc. Publ. U. S. Dept. Agric., 500, p. 65, 1943. Pleochaetis, Hubbard, Fleas W. N. Amer., p. 246, 1947. Genotype: Ceratophyllus mundus Jordan and Rothschild 1922. The genus Pleochaetis parasitizes small rodents and ranges at least from northern South America through Central America and Mexico to the south- TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 25 western United States. Although the species are of potential medical importance, records have been scarce and as a whole the group has been relatively little studied. Until recently, some of the species have been known from only one sex. In the original diagnosis of the genus, Dr. Jordan said that the species probably represented at least two genera. His keen observation is verified by material available to me for study. Included are eleven new species or subspecies obtained from either Chicago Natural History Museum or the San Francisco Plague Laboratory, or collected by myself in Mexico. A re-definition of the genus and the creation of a new genus are therefore pertinent. As Dr. Jordan kindly points out (in litt.), Dasypsyllus Baker, an essentially neotropical genus of bird-fleas, is "nearly related to Pleochaetis s. lat. and evidently derived from this branch of fleas." Genus PLEOCHAETIS Jordan s. str. Frontal tubercle distinct. Preantennal region with two or three rows of bristles. Eye well pigmented. Genal ctenidium absent. Second segment of antenna with bristles shorter than clavus. Postantennal region with three rows of bristles — two (or more) bristles caudad of base of antennal groove, three or more near middle, and a third row of four or five, rarely with these rows 1-2-4. Labial palpi not extending beyond apex of procoxae. Prothoracic ctenidium of about eighteen or twenty spines. Profemora each with about five small lateral bristles. Meso- and metacoxae without small mesal bristles on proximal half. Dorso-lateral bristles of tibiae paired, not forming a comb. Hind tarsi lacking long bristles, and with most proximal pair of plantar bristles only slightly displaced ventrad. First four or five abdominal terga with apical spinelets; typical abdominal terga with two rows of bristles. Only one antepygidial bristle well developed in male, three in female. Spiracle of eighth tergum larger than those of other terga, but not unusually enlarged. Distal arm of male ninth sternum lacking spiniforms, angle with an apodemal rod; apex of proximal arm of ninth sternum truncate. Manubrium apically broad and subtruncate, about one-third as broad as cephalic margin of apodeme of ninth tergum. Movable finger with marginal stout bristles or spiniforms. Two acetabular bristles present. Aedeagal apodeme with apical appendage or spur. Lateral lobes of aedeagus covering proximal half or two-thirds of end chamber, but leaving most of inner tube exposed; aedeagus constricted before expanded end chamber, forming a neck. Median dorsal lobe talon- shaped but simple, not flared and convoluted. Crochets apically subrectangular or beak- shaped. Armature of sclerotized inner tube reduced, but apex somewhat expanded. Inter- segmental membrane between male eighth and ninth segments at most feebly expanded. X-gland of Wagner well developed. Male eighth sternum fairly long and narrow, with marginal and /or apical bristles. Anal stylet of female flask-shaped, with dorsal and ventral bristles well developed. Head of spermatheca longer than broad, subovate or vermiform, but not strongly convex. Discussion. — As here defined, Pleochaetis Jordan, s. str., includes, in addition to the genotype P. mundus, P. apollinaris (Jordan and Rothschild 1921), P. dolens (Jordan and Rothschild 1914), P.equatoris (Jordan 1933), P.sibynus (Jordan 1925), and the new species described below. P. graphis (Rothschild 1909) and cam- paniger (Jordan 1931) are placed in a new genus described below, subsequent to the consideration of Pleochaetis, s. str. The known males of Pleochaetis (s. str.) fall into two definite groups. P. sibynus and its allies are characterized by the possession of a movable finger 26 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 that is not clavate but is instead evenly rounded caudo-apically, and bears no apical spiniforms. In this group the aedeagal apodeme is convex dorsally and ventrally and bears a very long apical appendage or spur that is more than half its length. The aedeagal crochets are subrectangular; the aedeagus lacks accessory lateral lobes; the sclerotized apex of the aedeagal inner tube is flattened and expanded, and the membranous portion of the everted inner tube extends far distad; the penis rods are coiled once or twice. The apodemal strut consists of two distinct sclerites ventrad to the crescent sclerite. The distal arm of the ninth sternum typically bears long marginal bristles on the proximal lobe and the apical lobes are subovate. In contrast, in mundus and its allies, the movable finger is clavate or subclavate and bears apical spiniforms or a single stout apical bristle; the aedeagal apodeme has subparallel sides and only a short apical spur (less than one-fourth its length); the aedeagal crochets are distally beak-shaped; the aedeagus has definite but narrow accessory lateral lobes; the sclerotized apex of the inner tube is recurved and has a narrow tongue extending distad into the extended submembranous portion; and the penis rods are uncoiled. The apodemal strut consists of three sclerites ventrad to the crescent sclerite. The apical lobe of the distal arm of the ninth sternum is somewhat narrowed and inclined apically, while the proximal lobe is without long curved bristles or their number is reduced. These differences may prove to be fundamental, denoting subgenera, but in view of the fact that many species probably remain to be discovered, no nomenclatural changes are proposed. Below is described a species in which the two known females possess vermiform spermatheca; the male is unknown. This species may also prove to represent a distinct subgenus, perhaps even a new genus. A new species, representing the P. sibynus group, which includes most of the species, is described first. Pleochaetis mathesoni sp. nov. Plates 10, 11. Near P. sibynus (Jordan 1925) but readily separated as follows: Movable fin- ger narrower, more than three times as long as wide at maximum, and with three long thin marginal bristles distad of long stout bristle at mid-point (pi. 11, fig. 1) ; not definitely less than three times as long as wide and with the three marginal bristles almost as stout as the pronouncedly thick middle bristle. Proximal lobe of distal arm of male ninth sternum with three long bristles, the distalmost about one-half the length of the proximal (pi. 11, fig. 2). In P. sibynus there are five or six long bristles (pi. 13, fig. 2). Neck at base of aedeagus long and narrow, about four times as long as wide (pi. 10, fig. 4, AT.), not with length merely sub- equal to width (pi. 12, fig. 4, N.). Male eighth tergum with one ventral bristle (pi. 10, fig. 2), not two (pi. 12, fig. 2). Head with an additional large median bristle in irregular first row of preantennal region and with an additional one or two bristles on first two postantennal rows (pi. 10, fig. 1). Spermatheca with head broader and with sides constricted at proximal fourth and then subparallel (pi. 11, fig. 4), not subovate (pi. 13, fig. 5). Male and Female: Head (pi. 10, fig. 1, male). — Anterior margin evenly rounded, with frontal tubercle median and small, but distinct. Preantennal region with first row of bristles TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 27 very irregular, consisting of about six small and three larger bristles (the last sometimes appearing as a distinct row), and an ocular row of three long bristles, the middle of which is the smallest. With a series of very small setae along ventral border of antennal fossa and thinly scattered on gena. Eye conspicuous, subovate, well pigmented. Genal process fairly broad, becoming acuminate. Maxillary lobe (MX.) an acute triangle, extending to near apex of third segment of maxillary palpi. Maxillary laciniae (LAC.) about one-third diameter of labial palpi; with apical half denticulate or microserrate. Lacinial and epipha- ryngeal stilettos (EPX.) subequal, and, like the five-segmented labial palpi (L.P.), extend nearly to apex of forecoxae. Scape of antenna long, almost as long as subovate nine-seg- mented clavus, with two or three very small marginal setae near insertion, somewhat longer ones subapical, and apical. Second segment of antenna with somewhat longer setae, but those in male extending less than one-fourth length of clavus, in female less than one-half. An irregular row of very small bristles along the dorsal margin of the antennal fossa. Postantennal region with three rows of bristles arranged 4(5)-5-4(5), the most caudal the longest, and with an extra bristle in female at ventro-caudal angle; with small hairs inter- polated between some of the large bristles. Thorax. — With five long bristles preceding the nine or ten pronotal ctenidial spines on each side. A few small hairs intercalated between some of the bristles. Mesonotum with similar hairs along thickened cephalic margin and with three rows of bristles, the caudalmost the longest, preceded by a few small hairs. Mesonotum with three apical seta-like extensions suggesting thin elongate spinelets. Mesepisternum (MPS.) usually with three bristles near ventro-caudal angle, preceded by thin scattered small hairs. Usually with eight bristles on mesepimeron (MPM.) arranged as in figure. Metanotum with three rows of bristles, the first incomplete; an apical spinelet on metanotal flange. Lateral metanotal area well developed, quadrate, with two bristles near caudal margin. Metepisternum with one bristle in dorso-caudal angle. Metepimeron with seven bristles arranged 3-3-1, at times with eight arranged 2-2-3-1. Legs. — Meso- and metacoxae with a submedian lateral sclerotization and a mesal, somewhat trident-shaped longitudinal sclerotization; cephalic arm of the trident reduced to a spur, caudal arm proximally joining the lateral sclerotization. Profemora with about ten small thin lateral median bristles; meso- and metafemora with one each. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 147 61 64 55 45 86 Meso- 266 112 109 74 48 86 Meta- 340 268 173 112 61 106 None of tarsal bristles reaching beyond apex of following segment; apical bristles of third metatarsal segment subequal to fourth segment. Distal tarsal segment of each leg with four pairs of lateral plantar bristles and with basal pair slightly displaced medially. Blade of unguis about twice length of thickened recurved basal portion. Abdomen. — First tergum with three rows of bristles, the first row very incomplete. Male with two apical very small teeth on each side of first and second terga; third and fourth terga with one. Female with tergal teeth 2-2-2-1. Caudal row of bristles on abdominal segments two to six much longer than those of cephalic row and extending somewhat ventrad of spiracles. Basal sternum with a series of fine whorled striae suggesting fingerprints, with one bristle near ventral margin of basal sternum. Sterna three to six of male with three or four bristles preceded by one or two much smaller ones; female with four such bristles preceded by a horizontal row of several much smaller ones. Male with middle antepygidial 28 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 bristle well developed, others minute (pi. 10, fig. 3, A.B.). Female with middle antepygi- dial bristle more than twice the length of dorsal and ventral ones (pi. 11, fig. 6, A.B.). Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 10, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum large, covering most of genitalia; slightly spiculose caudad of sensilium; with two small and three (or four) long dorsal bristles and six median and submedian bristles arranged as in pi. 10, fig. 2. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 11, fig. 3) long and narrow; with a ventral row of about six thin bristles and a long apical bristle; dorsal margin membranous and frayed apically. Intersegmental membrane between eighth and ninth segments somewhat enlarged near angle of ninth sternum, spiculose. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 11, fig. 1) broadly conical; with three small apical bristles and with a broad shallow sinus on caudal margin. Movable finger of clasper (F. and pi. 11, fig. 1) subclavate, with proximal half gradually widening; broadest at insertion of mesal marginal stout bristle or subspiniform at level of apex of P. Caudal margin of movable finger rounded distad of stout bristle and bearing three marginal, long, thin though dark mesal bristles inserted at subequidistant points, and with small marginal and sub- marginal bristles as in figure. Cephalic margin of movable finger fairly straight, although produced into a short point near midpoint and with a short acute apical angle. Manubrium (MB.) with margins subparallel for most of their length, apex broad ; base somewhat narrower than tergal apodeme of ninth tergum (T.AP.9) which forms dorso-proximal portion of clasper lobe. Ninth tergum apparently reduced to an indefinite area between its apodeme and clasper lobe. Subpygidial sclerite of Wagner apparently reduced to a thin linear sclerotiza- tion near dorsal margin of immovable clasper. Ninth sternum very well sclerotized, boomerang-shaped. Proximal arm (P.A.9) about as long as distal arm; apically somewhat angled; with apex truncate; dorsal margin shallowly convex, ventral margin subparallel. Distal arm (D.A.9 and pi. 11, fig. 2) long and bilobed. Proximal lobe of distal arm with two or three very long marginal bristles; a bristle half as long inserted at apex; smaller marginal bristles inserted as in figure. Distal lobe subovate with two small bristles on cephalic margin; a few scattered bristles median or near cephalic margin. The proximal and distal lobes connected by a small mesal lobe bearing a relatively thick bristle. Angle of ninth sternum with apodemal rod (pi. 10, fig. 3, AP.R.9) very long and apically coiled. Aedeagal apodeme (pi. 10, fig. 4, AE.A.) longer than aedeagus proper; widest at middle, tapering apically; middle plate longer than lateral plates, resulting in a long apical appendage (AP.A.) about half length of apodeme. Proximal spur (P.S.) present. Base of aedeagus with a long narrow neck (N.), about four times as long as wide (measured between rapidly flaring ends). Expanded endchamber less than twice width of aedeagal apodeme. Lateral lobes (L.L.) covering base of aedeagus; ovate median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) simple, proximally thick, rapidly becoming acuminate, curved, talon-like. Crochets (CR.) very well developed; base dorsally subglobular; dorsal margin concave, ventral margin subparallel, apically truncate; with a barrel-shaped or peg-like sclerotization near base. Armature of sheath of inner tube (L.S.I.) represented. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) expanded and sub- truncate, with extra-aedeagal portion (E.I.T.) extending far distad and recurved cephalad. Apodemal strut supporting inner tube consisting on each side of a narrow submedian mesal lobe (M.S.) and a larger latero-ventral curved lobe (L.S.) extending to base of sheath of inner tube. Dorsad of strut a narrow somewhat convex sclerite, the crescent sclerite (C.S.). Penis rods (P.R.) very long, coiled. Ventral intramural rod of endophallus (I.R.) well developed. Tenth abdominal segment conspicuous; with sensilium relatively flat; dorsal lobe of proctiger subconical, with three or four apical bristles and proximal small hairs; ventral lobe of proctiger subconical and with a tuft of apical bristles. Proximal ventral sclerite represented by a subtriangular dark area. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 29 Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 11, fig. 6). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) dorso- caudally concave; usually with a caudal sinus forming a narrow sub truncate dorsal lobe and a much wider, more often rounded ventral lobe. Variations in shape of seventh sternum shown in pi. 11, fig. 8. Seventh sternum with a cephalic row of five small and a caudal row of four long bristles. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long bristles ventral to sensilium, with five marginal bristles and four submarginal ventral bristles as in figure. Eighth sternum (8 S.) narrow, without bristles. Dorsal anal lobe (D.A.L.) with scattered bristles, the longest marginal. Anal stylet (pi. 11, fig. 7) about 2J^ times as long as wide at base; with dorsal and ventral bristles subequal, less than one-third length of apical bristle. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L. and pi. 11, fig. 5) angulate; four stout curved bristles on ventro-caudal angle, the smallest nearest the angle; with five long apical bristles and a few submarginal small hairs. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 11, fig. 4) with head less than twice as long as wide; broad- est near tail and with margins fairly straight distad of constriction. Tail of spermatheca very stout, slightly longer than head. Holotype. — A male from Mount Tancitaro, at 8,000 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancitaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico; collected July 12, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Reithrodontomys c. chrysopsis Merriam (a harvest mouse). AUotype. — A female, same locality, host, and collector as the holotype: collected July 5, 1941, at 7,800 feet altitude. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Paratypes. — One hundred and five males and one hundred females, same locality as the holotype and mostly from the same host (some from Peromyscus hylocetes Merriam at 7,800 feet alt.), taken between 7,800 and 9,000 feet. Deposited in the collections of Chicago Natural History Museum; United States National Museum, Cornell University; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard College; Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana; Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, British Columbia; British Museum (Natural History); Caucasus Parasitological Laboratory, Stavropol, U.S.S.R.; Robert Traub; E. W. Jameson; and miscellaneous private collections. Remarks. — P. mathesoni and its usual host were rare above 9,000 feet altitude in the type locality. This species is named for Professor Robert Matheson of the Department of Entomology, Cornell University, to whom I am deeply indebted. Pleochaetis sibynus (Jordan). Plates 12, 13. Ceratophyttus sibynus Jordan, Nov. Zool., 32, p. 110, fig. 42, 1925. Pkochaetis sibynes (sic) (Jordan), Nov. Zool., 39, p. 77, 1933. Pleochaetis sibynus, I. Fox, Jour. Sci., Iowa State College, 13, p. 336, 1939. Pleochaetis sibynus, Jellison and Good, Bull. Nat. Inst. Health, 178, p. 125, 1942. Pleochaetis sibynus, Ewing and Fox, Misc. Publ. U. S. Dept. Agric., 500, p. 66, 1943. Pkochaetis sibynus, Hubbard, Fleas of W. N. Amer., p. 246, 1947. As shown below, sibynus has a wide distribution, but records are few and the female has heretofore been unknown. The species is characterized by the rela- tively short neck of the base of the aedeagus and by the movable finger, which 30 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 is broadened at the midpoint and possesses three stout marginal bristles apicad of the spiniform. Resembling P. mathesoni sp. nov., except as indicated. Preantennal region of head with seven or eight bristles in irregular first row (pi. 12, fig. 1, male). Postantennal region with rows of bristles arranged 2(3)-4-4. Labial palpi (L.P.) extending about three-fourths of the length of the procoxae. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with four bristles near ventro- caudal angle. Metepimeron (MPM.) with nine bristles arranged 4-4-1. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi : LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 131 53 51 45 35 80 Meso- 210 90 74 58 42 80 Meta- 288 197 141 85 58 96 Abdominal terga with apical teeth arranged 2-2-2-1 in both sexes. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 12, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum with three small and three long dorso-marginal bristles, six median and two subventral bristles (pi. 12, fig. 2). Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 12, fig. 5) with six ventro-marginal bristles, a subapical bristle, and a long apical bristle; filamentous and tufted at apex. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 13, fig. 1) apically broadly rounded and with three short bristles; caudal margin somewhat incised below midpoint, evenly rounded ventrad of the two acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 13, fig. 1) with three stout mesal equally spaced bristles on dorso-caudal margin and with a much stouter mesal marginal bristle or subspiniform near midpoint of caudal margin; cephalic margin almost straight. Movable finger broadest in region of subspiniform and most proximal stout bristle; caudal margin rounded and curving cephalad near insertion of subspiniform.1 Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 13, fig. 2) with proximal lobe bearing two long bristles and three or four shorter bristles as illustrated. Aedeagus of same general type as in P. mathesoni sp. nov. Base of aedeagus with a short neck (pi. 12, fig. 4, N.), only as long as wide. Lateral lobes (L.L.) somewhat narrower, apical margin more sinuate. Crochets (CR.) broad, width three-fifths of length from peg to apex in region of peg-like sclerotization; sides subparallel, apex somewhat rounded. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) expanded, acuminate cephalad; apical margin mildly sinuate. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 13, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorsal margin shallowly concave and with a small angled sinus on caudal margin. Seventh sternum with a row of one short and four long bristles preceded by five small bristles. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with six or seven fairly long medio- ventral bristles and five or six small, more cephalic ones. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 13, fig. 5) with head three-fifths as broad as long, narrowed apically; tail almost as broad as head and subequal in length. Anal stylet (pi. 13, fig. 4) three times as long as wide. Allotype. — A female (described above) from Mount Tancitaro, near the municipality of Tancitaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico. Collected at 10,000 ' Dr. Jordan has pointed out (in litt.) that in the type male from Arizona, the slender bristles of the movable finger are less than one third the thickness of the stout one. In the Mexican specimens here described, the thickness is at least one half. He also stated that the apex of the immovable process is more triangular in the type. In a later letter, received subsequent to the preparation of the above description, Dr. Jordan wrote that he believes the Mexican specimens represent a distinct subspecies. In addition to the reasons noted, he pointed out that in the Arizona type, the median dorsal lobe of the aedeagus is longer and more curved, resembling that of mathesoni. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 31 feet altitude, July 19, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Peromyscus melanotis Allen and Chapman. Records. — United States: Arizona: Paradise, ex "skunk" (holotype male); Grand Canyon, June, 1942, ex Peromyscus maniculatus rufinus Merriam (Hub- bard, loc. cit.). I consider the New Mexico specimen referred to by Hubbard to represent a new subspecies of P. equatoris (Jordan). Mexico: A long series, same host and locality as the allotype, collected at 9,000-11,200 feet altitude by Robert Traub (a few specimens from Microtus mexicanus phaeus Merriam); Ojo de Agua, Galeana (not "Craleano"!), Nuevo Leon (ex "Peromyscus"}, and Cerro Potosi, Nuevo Leon, 12,500 feet altitude (ex "Microtus"}, collected July and August, 1938, by the First Hoogstraal Biological Expedition to Mexico (I. Fox, loc. cit.). Pleochaetis parus sp. nov. Plates 14, 15. Near P. sibynus (Jordan) but separated as follows: Preantennal region of head with three rows of bristles. Mesepimeron with six, not eight, bristles. Movable finger with caudal border evenly rounded for entire length and with thinner marginal long bristles. Male ninth sternum with only four bristles (one small) on proximal lobe, not six. Male eighth tergum with only four, not eight, median bristles. Neck of aedeagus much longer, more than three times as long as wide, not subequal in length and width; sclerotized inner tube only feebly expanded cephalad. Female lacking a sinus on seventh sternum. The follow- ing description will serve to separate this species from mathesoni sp. nov. Preantennal region with seven bristles in first row, three longer ones in second and third rows (pi. 14, fig. 1, male). Postantennal region with three bristles in first row. Labial palpi (L.P.) extending more than three-fourths the length of the procoxae. Mesepimeron (MPM.} with bristles arranged 2-22. Lateral metanotal area with three caudal bristles, one small. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi : LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 67 67 51 38 85 Meso- 250 107 103 67 41 90 Meta- 306 250 163 100 54 103 Male abdominal terga with apical teeth arranged 2-2-2-2; in female, 2-2-2-1. Male abdominal sterna two to six with three long bristles preceded by one or two small hairs; female with four long bristles preceded by two or three small hairs. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 14, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum (pi. 14, fig. 2) with six dorso-marginal bristles and four long median ones; produced in a short lobe at dorso-caudal angle. Eighth sternum (pi. 14, fig. 4) with sclerotized portion of base narrow and triangular; long and narrow, with four short thin ventral bristles and a long apical bristle; apical half of dorsal margin membranous and frayed. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 15, fig. 1) broad, apically rounded, and with three small bristles, sharply incised and arcuate ventrad of midpoint of caudal margin, be- coming convex in the vicinity of the two acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 15, fig. 1) semilunar, with cephalic border straight except for short angle near midpoint; caudal border evenly convex, with three long stout marginal mesal bristles on apical half and a 32 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 much stouter bristle or subspiniform at midpoint. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 15, fig. 2) with four marginal bristles on proximal lobe, the two most proximal bristles the longest, the second most apical very much the shortest. Aedeagus of same general type as P. mathesoni sp. nov. ; base with neck (pi. 14, fig. 5, N.) three times as long as wide. Crochets (CR.) with apex truncate; dorsal margin straight; ventral margin very shallowly concave. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) flat, hardly extended proximad. Lateral sclerotization of sheath of inner tube (L.S.I.) well developed, although armature of sheath apparently represented only by a slight acuminate projection at midpoint of cephalic margin. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 15, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorso-caudal margin concave, caudal margin evenly convex; apparently with a caudal row of six bristles (the most dorsal bristle small, the remainder long) preceded by a row of three small bristles, with two or three more cephalic small hairs near ventral margin. Ventral portion of eighth tergum (8 T.) with two median bristles, three ventro-marginal bristles and five marginal or submarginal caudal ones. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 15, fig. 4) with head subovate, narrowed apically, less than twice as long as broad; tail almost as wide as and longer than head and with apical half curved over head. Anal stylet (pi. 15, fig. 5) more than twice as long as wide. Holotype. — A male from Mount San Miguel, 6,500 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancitaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico; collected July 31, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Per omy sous hylocetes Merriam. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratype. — A female, same data as the holotype, in the collection of Robert Traub. Pleochaetis equatoris equatoris (Jordan). Plate 16. Ceratophyllus equatoris Jordan, Nov. Zool., 38, p. 344, figs. 63 (male), 64 (female), 1933. Pleochaetis equatoris Jordan, Nov. Zool., 39, p. 77, 1933. This species has not been reported since the original description. Through the kindness of Dr. Karl Jordan, the paratype female (the only female known) has been made available to me, and the following description and the figures are based upon study of this specimen; the drawing of the male genitalia, how- ever, is after Jordan; the quotations are from the original description. "Close to C. apollinaris J. and R. 1921, of which only the female is known. The female of the new species differs in the upper lobe of VII St. being much broader and rounded." Separated from P. sibynus (Jordan), mathesoni sp. nov. and paries sp. nov. by the fact that the spiniform on the movable finger is inserted far apicad of the midpoint. Preantennal region with six small bristles in first row and three long bristles in ocular row (pi. 16, fig. 1, female). Postantennal region with bristles arranged 3-5-7. Labial palpi (L.P.) extending three-fourths of the length of the profemora. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with four small median and two larger caudal bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with six bristles in two rows of three each. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 16, fig. 3). — "The VIII t. strongly rounded, bearing 6 or 7 dorsomarginal bristles, of which the 2 or 3 distal ones are long, and in addition TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 33 6 long lateral bristles of which one is ventral. VIII st. long and narrow, about one-eighth shorter than first hindtarsal segment, convex beneath, nearly straight above, pointed, ven- trally with a pair of short bristles each in middle and at apical fourth, and a longer pair before apex. Bay above manubrium of clasper evenly rounded, parabolical, not semicircular; manubrium measured on upper side from deepest point of bay as long as clasper measured from the same point to the posterior margin above the acetabular bristles. Dorsal margin of clasper (CL.) incurved, this bay flatter; process P. irregularly triangular, being somewhat convex on the posterior side; upper acetabular bristle on a level of the lowest point of the anterior margin of the exopodite F. Angle of anterior margin of exopodite in middle of margin, the exopodite from this point upwards about twice as wide as in lower half; opposite the angle of the anterior margin, at the beginning of the widened portion, a large spiniform, above this anterior margin, slightly incurved, then strongly rounded and running obliquely upward-forward, forming with the anterior margin an acute apical angle, the tip of which is a little bent frontad; at the curve of the posterior margin 2 strong bristles about half the width of the large one below them, and farther upward a paler bristle, thinner and shorter. Apical portion of vertical arm of IX st. but little dilated; ventral sclerite narrow to point of division at one-third, then ventrally slightly rounded-dilated, this antemedian portion bearing about 10 bristles, of which the 2 ventral distal ones are long, but pale; the apical lobe of the ventral arm dorsally as long as the rest of the sclerite, convex above, broadest about middle, at apex more rounded ventrally than dorsally." Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 16, fig. 4). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) bilobed, "divided by a narrow sinus into two rounded lobes, of which the lower one is much the broader." Seventh sternum with a row of six long bristles preceded by four small hairs. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with four subventral bristles, and six along the ventro-caudal margin. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L.) with three stout curved bristles. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 16, fig. 2) with head about "half the length of the tail, somewhat abrupt at the juncture with the tail." Records. — Ecuador: "Quebrada of Pichan, west side of Pichincha, on Sigmodon sp., 4 II. 1932, 1 male, type (in Rothschild collection of British Museum — R.T.) ; Paramo de Guamani, on road to Baiza, Region Oriental, on Oryzomys sp., 27 VII 1931, 1 female." Remarks. — A single male found in the collections of the United States National Museum and collected in New Mexico resembles Jordan's figure of equatoris in the shape of the movable finger. It is apparently quite different in other respects and is here considered a new subspecies. Pleochaetis equatoris asetus subsp. nov. Plate 17. Pleochaetis sibynus Hubbard, Fleas of W. N. Amer., p. 246, 1947 (in part, err. det., not Jordan 1925). Separated from P. e. equatoris (Jordan) and from mathesoni sp. nov. and its allies in that the proximal lobe of the distal arm of the ninth sternum lacks the typical long marginal bristles. The new subspecies also has a long subapical bristle on the eighth sternum in addition to the long apical one, and has three lateral or median bristles. The apical lobe of the distal arm of the ninth sternum is ovate and dilated, not narrowed as in e. equatoris. The following description stresses differences from mathesoni. Preantennal region with six or seven bristles in first row, including the very reduced ones near the antennal groove (pi. 17, fig. 1). Postantennal region with bristles 2-3-4. 34 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Labial palpi (L.P.) about three-fourths of the length of the procoxae. Mesepimeron (MPM.) apparently with six or seven bristles. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 109 45 45 42 34 71 Meso- 202 80 77 58 38 77 Meta- 262 192 109 71 48 88 Abdominal terga with apical teeth arranged 2-2-1-1. Abdominal sterna three to six with three bristles. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 17, fig. 2). — Eighth tergum (pi. 17, fig. 4) with five long and two short dorso-marginal bristles, and three median and one lateral bristle. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 17, fig. 7) ventrally convex, dorsally straight, and apically rounded, not pointed or membranous or frayed; three short ventral bristles, one long sub- apical bristle and one long apical one. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 17, fig. 6) broad and rounded, with two apical bristles; caudal margin apically convex, proximally concave to insertion of acetabular bristles and then again becoming convex. Movable finger (F. and pi. 17, fig. 6) of same general shape and chaetotaxy as in e. equatoris but caudo-apical margin more rounded, and cephalo- apical lobe not so acute and not directed cephalad. Most proximal stout marginal bristle equidistant between second and spiniform. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 17, fig. 5) with apical lobe ovate, much more dilated than proximal lobe, and with about four very small bristles on cephalic margin, four or five subapical, five or six on caudal margin and a few median. Proximal lobe of distal arm with one subapical very small bristle and two longer proximal submarginal ones; two smaller ones proximal of lobe proper. Long stout marginal bristles completely lacking. Aedeagus (pi. 17, fig. 8) of same general type as that of mathesoni, but penis rods not fully coiled; base with neck (N.) slightly more than four times as long as wide. Crochets (CR.) not adequately visible, but apparently truncate and with straight sides. Sclerotic inner tube with apex (A. S.I.) flat and slightly acuminate at each end; proximally curved cephalad. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) apparently represented by a rounded cephalic expansion. Holotype. — A unique male from "Mogollon Mountains," New Mexico, collected September 1, 1933, by H. S. Gentry. In the collection of the United States National Museum. Host: "Callospermophilm lateralis arizonensis and Microtus mexicanus mogollonensis" (the latter the more probable). Pleochaetis dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild). Plates 18, 19. Ceratophyllns dolens Jordan and Rothschild, Nov. Zool., 21, p. 257, figs. 1, 2, 1914. Pleochaetis dolens Jordan, Nov. Zool., 39, p. 77, 1933. A very short series of specimens from Guatemala and another from El Salvador agree with the figures and description of this species. Although showing some variation from the above as well as between themselves, they are herein described as dolens. Unless otherwise specified, the description below refers to specimens from El Salvador. Preantennal region of head (pi. 18, fig. 1, male) with bristles arranged in an irregular first row of eight small bristles, a second row of two longer bristles, and an ocular row of TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 35 three yet longer bristles. Postantennal region with bristles 3-4-5. Labial palpi (L.P.) extending about seven-eighths of the length of the procoxae. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with two small median bristles and three caudo-marginal longer ones. Mesepimerbn (MPM.) with six bristles in two rows of three. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi : LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 70 70 58 48 96 Meso- 259 122 77 73 51 102 Meta- 368 288 192 115 67 112 Abdominal terga with apical teeth 2-2-2-1. Male sterna with three long bristles preceded by a few very small ones; female with four similar small ones. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 18, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum (pi. 18, fig. 4) with seven dorso-marginal bristles (the first very small), one submarginal bristle, and four median and one ventral bristle. Guatemalan male slightly different (pi. 18, fig. 2). Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 18, fig. 5) long and narrow, with five small thin bristles on the some- what convex ventral margin, and with a long subapical bristle; dorsal margin somewhat membranous and frayed for distal fourth. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 19, fig. 1) fairly broad, rounded, with three small apical bristles; caudal margin rounded (slightly incised near midpoint in Guatemalan specimen, pi. 19, fig. 2). Movable finger (F. and pi. 19, fig. 1) proximally narrowed, rapidly broadening, although cephalic margin straight for distal two-thirds except for apical acute extension; caudal margin strongly curving cephalad distad of midpoint, at level of apex of immovable clasper and at insertion of stoutest and most proximal marginal mesal long bristle; three somewhat thinner but similar bristles distad of above-mentioned stout bristle and proximal of apical fifth. Guatemalan male (pi. 19, fig. 2) with movable finger more sinuate, with cephalic border proportionately broader, and with distances between bases of marginal bristles subequal. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 19, fig. 3) with apical lobe hardly more dilated than ventral lobe, and with scattered very short bristles as in figure, most of them marginal. Proximal lobe of distal arm with four marginal bristles, the most proximal three the longest. Guatemalan male (pi. 19, fig. 4) with apical lobe more dilated than proximal; only two long and about six short thin marginal bristles on proximal lobe. Aedeagus (pi. 18, fig. 6) of same general type as P. mathesoni; base with neck (N.) about twice as long as wide. Lateral lobes (L.L.) with ventral margin shallowly convex; caudal margin fairly straight; ventro-caudal angle rounded. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) dorsally flattened. Crochets (CR.) with straight sides, somewhat apically narrowed; apex subtruncate. Sclerotic inner tube with apex (A.S.I.) truncate, expanded, extended cephalad, and acuminate; armature of sheath curved, acuminate, extending dorsad. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 19, fig. 5). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorsal margin concave; caudal margin sinuate, the sinus subventral and shallow; a row of five long bristles preceded by five short bristles in an irregular row. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long bristles ventral to sensilium, two marginal bristles dorsad of caudal sinus (one at midpoint), one submarginal bristle near ventral border of caudal sinus, and six sub- ventral bristles, of which three are submarginal. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 19, fig. 7) with head subovate, about three-fifths or two-thirds as broad as long, dorsal margin slightly convex, ventral margin slightly concave; tail longer than, and almost as broad as head, and with an apical sclerotized papilla. Anal stylet (pi. 19, fig. 6) about three times as long as broad. Guatemalan females virtually the same as the El Salvador specimens. 36 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Records. — Costa Rica: Irazu, 2,800 feet altitude (type locality, one pair, types not designated), from Guerlinguetus hoffmani Thomas. Collected by 0. Garlepp. El Salvador: Department of Santa Ana; two pairs from Sciurus mriegatoides bangsi Dickey. Collected for the University of California, April 16, 1942, by M. Hildebrand. Guatemala: Tecpam, Chimaltenango; one male from Glaucomys goldmani Nelson, February 5, 1934, and two females from Orthogeomys grandis Thomas, February 2, 1934. Collected by F. J. W. Schmidt on the Field Museum-Leon Mandel Guatemala Expedition. Pleochaetis dolens quitanus (Jordan). Plate 20, figs. 1-3. Ceratophyllus dolens quitanus Jordan, Nov. Zool., 37, p. 136, figs. 2-4, 1931. Separated from P. d. dolens by Jordan mainly because the male ninth sternum has four or five long bristles instead of three (cf . above) and the female seventh sternum has a more rounded lateral lobe. The following description is based upon that of Jordan and upon study of two paratype females made avail- able through the kindness of Dr. Jordan. Preantennal region usually with three rows of bristles, but variations in number and arrangement noted by Jordan. Paratype with these bristles arranged as in pi. 20, fig. 1. Mesepisternum (MPS.) apparently with four bristles in rows of 2-2, preceded by scattered small hairs. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with six bristles. Proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum with four or five long bristles, "on right side the second bristle much thinner and shorter than the four others." Female with caudal margin of seventh sternum (7 S., pi. 20, fig. 3) lacking a lobe or sinus and with a caudal row of five or six long bristles, preceded by six or seven much smaller ones in two irregular rows. Eighth tergum (8 T.) much like typical form. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 20, fig. 2) of same type; duct "rather wide, and the blind duct branches off from it at about one-fifth, not emanating directly from the bursa copulatrix." Records. — Ecuador: "Cerro de Puntas, off Oryzomys spec., 1 male (type), 1 female, and off Thomasomys spec., 2 females; Chimborazo, off Thomasomys spec., 1 female. Also a male in coll. Caroll Fox with 4 bristles on (ninth sternum), from near Quito." Pleochaetis apollinaris (Jordan and Rothschild). Plate 20, figs. 8-13. Ceratophyllus apollinaris Jordan and Rothschild, Ectoparasites, 1, p. 176, figs. 163, 164, 1921. This species is known only from the two female types. Dr. Jordan has graciously made one available for study. The species is distinct from all others known to me in that while the head of the spermatheca is distinct, it is scarcely wider than the tail and the latter is much longer than the head. The species is also unique in that the female seventh sternum bears an acuminate dorsal lobe and a broader, rounded, ventral lobe. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 37 Preantennal region (pi. 20, fig. 8) with two rows of bristles (7-3). Postantennal bristles 2-2 to 4-5. Labial palpi about three-fourths of the length of the procoxae. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with three or four very small bristles near cephalic margin, two slightly longer median bristles and two longer caudal ones. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with outlines obscured in speci- men but apparently with seven bristles, four near ventral margin. Lateral metanotal area seemingly with five bristles, but probably two or three are in reality on mesepimeron. Metepimeron with seven or eight bristles. Abdominal terga with apical teeth l(2)-2 2-2(1). Seventh sternum (7 S., pi. 20, fig. 9) divided by a narrow sinus, forming a dorsal acu- minate lobe and a broad rounded ventral lobe (variations shown in pi. 20, figs. 10, 11; after Jordan) ; a row of five long bristles preceded by three smaller ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long bristles ventrad to sensilium and about twelve subventral bristles as shown in figure. Head of spermatheca (SP. and pi. 20, fig. 12) somewhat longer than broad, very much shorter than tail, which is nearly as wide as head. Records. — Colombia: Savannah of Bogota, from Mustela affinis, May, 1917, collected by Rev. Father Apollinaire Marie. Pleochaetis vermiformis sp. nov. Plate 20, figs. 4-7. Near P. apollinaris but separated from it and from all other known species by the characteristic vermiform spermatheca, which is of uniform thick- ness for most of its length and in which the head is not clearly demarcated. The chaetotaxy of the preantennal region of the head is also distinctive. This species may actually represent a distinct genus or subgenus. Preantennal region with three rows of bristles arranged 5 (irregular row) -4-3, with an accessory ventral long bristle in a line with bristle nearest eye (pi. 20, fig. 4). Postantennal region with bristles arranged 5-6 (7) -5, not counting the accessory bristle near ventro- caudal angle (typical of females of at least this group of genera) . Bristles of antennal club very short, extending distad of second annulation. Labial palpi about seven-eighths of the length of the procoxae. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with four bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with six bristles in two rows of three. Abdominal terga with apical teeth 2-2-1-1. Ab- dominal sterna two to six with three long bristles preceded by two very small bristles near ventral margin and one dorsad of bases of long bristles. Seventh sternum (7 S., pi. 20, fig. 7) with dorso-caudal margin shallowly concave; caudal margin with a dorsal shallow sinus, rounded ventrad of sinus; four long bristles preceded by three much smaller ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long bristles ventral to sensilium and with eleven lateral ventral marginal and submarginal ones as shown in figure. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 20, fig. 5) of uniform diameter throughout most of its length; U-shaped with apical arm longer and apically subacuminate; head not clearly demarcated but apparently constituting most or all of more truncate, shorter arm. Anal stylet (pi. 20, fig. 6) slightly more than twice as long as wide. Holotype. — A female from the Department of Chalatenango, El Salvador; collected for the University of California, March 22, 1942, by M. Hildebrand. In the collection of the United States National Museum. Host: "Peromyscus" sp. Remarks. — A female from Santa Elena, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, 10,000 feet altitude, collected from Peromyscus guatemalensis Merriam, January 26, 1934, by F. J. W. Schmidt, agrees closely with the above description. The spermatheca is vermiform but is mounted in such a way that it cannot be properly studied. 38 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 The following species of Pleochaetis s. str. are in the second group, which is characterized by the possession of apical spiniforms or a single stout bristle on the subclavate movable finger, by beak-shaped crochets, and by penis rods that are not coiled like a spring. Pleochaetis paramundus sp. nov. Plates 21, 22. Distinct from all known Pleochaetis in the reduced chaetotaxy of the post- antennal region of the head — only one bristle is represented in the first row, and two or three in the second. Near mundus (Jordan and Rothschild 1922), but further separated by the following: The most ventral spiniform of the movable finger more proximal, inserted near apical fourth, not apical sixth; eleven or twelve (instead of eight) non-marginal bristles on eighth tergum; sclerotized portion of inner tube extending apicad for a distance greater than size of end- chamber, instead of half its size; head of spermatheca shorter than tail instead of longer. Preantennal region with two rows of bristles (pi. 21, fig. 1, male), the first row of seven bristles, including three small ones near antennal groove. Postantennal bristles arranged l-2(rarely 3)-4. Labial palpi subequal to length of procoxae. Pronotal comb with about eight spines on a side. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with thin scattered median and cephalo-marginal small bristles and three longer caudo-marginal ones. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with eight bristles arranged 2-3-3. Lateral metanotal area with two or three median bristles. Metepimeron with eight bristles arranged 4-3-1 or nine arranged 3-2-3-1. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 144 48 51 42 38 83 Meso- 217 106 96 64 42 93 Meta- 320 240 160 105 61 99 Abdominal terga with apical teeth arranged 1-1-1-0 in both sexes, some specimens ap- parently without any on some segments. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 21, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum (pi. 21, fig. 2) with three dorso-marginal bristles and twelve other bristles, only one of which is ventral, arranged as in figure. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 21, fig. 5) long and narrow; three short thin ventral bristles, a much longer subapical one, and a still longer apical bristle; dorsal margin proximally concave, apically slightly convex and extending into a short subacuminate lobe distad of apical bristle. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 22, fig. 1) with sides subparallel; apically subtruncate and sinuate; two short thin bristles at cephalo-dorsal angle; caudal margin produced into a rounded lobe bearing the two acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 22, fig. 1) subclavate, with apex shallowly convex and twice as broad as proximal portion; cephalic and caudal margins widening fairly evenly from base to apex, but caudal margin becoming straight at insertion of long mesal spiniform near distal fourth; another mesal spiniform, less than half as long, at dorso-caudal angle, with a thin, marginal bristle dorsal and ventral of this spiniform; cephalo-dorsal angle scarcely produced cephalad. Ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 22, fig. 2) with proximal lobe of distal arm about twice as long as wide and bearing about eight relatively short thin bristles; apical lobe long and curved caudad; cephalic margin strongly convex; apical margin shallowly convex; TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 39 caudal margin proximally straight and at apical third becoming markedly concave; marginal bristles relatively short and thin, arranged somewhat as follows: two on cephalic margin, one or two apical, one near caudal sinus, four subproximal, one proximal. Aedeagus (pi. 21, fig. 4) of a somewhat different type than in P. mathesoni and allies. Apodeme (AE.A.) long and narrow, more than seven times as long as wide; ventral and dorsal margins subparallel for much of their length ; with an apical spur only slightly longer than maximum width of apodeme. Base of aedeagus proper with a short neck (N.) slightly broader than long. Expanded endchamber about twice width of aedeagal apodeme. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) simple and curved dorsally but truncate at apex. Lateral lobes (L.L.) ovate, covering base of aedeagus. Accessory lateral lobes (A.L.L.) arising near base of median dorsal lobe, long and highly acuminate. Crochets (CR.) well developed, almost equal to vertical diameter of endchamber; dorsal margin strongly convex but excised at proximal third, forming a shallow sinus; ventral margin strongly convex distad of peg-like sclerotiza- tion, making apex of crochet beak-shaped (pi. 22, fig. 2). Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.*) narrow and proximally recurved, greatly extended distally as a sclerotized curved narrow band (B.I.T.), reaching ventrally of ventral margin of lateral lobe. Armature of inner tube not apparent; lateral sclerotization of sheath (L.S.I.) apparently continued ventrad proximad of base of crochets and ventrad of penis rods; membranous portion not evaginated, unlike the preceding species. Penis rods (P.R.) not coiled, extending only slightly cephalad of spur of aedeagal apodeme, proximal portion much thickened. Ventral intramural rod of endophallus (I.R.) well developed. Apodemal strut consisting of a dorsal acuminate lobe (D.S.), a median somewhat acuminate mesal lobe (M.S.) and a lateral ventral curved lobe (L.S.). Crescent sclerite (C.S.) broader than in P. mathesoni. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 22, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorso-caudal margin concave; caudal margin with a deep narrow median sinus forming a subtruncate broad dorsal lobe and a subequal more rounded ventral lobe. Some specimens, with same data and otherwise virtually indistinguishable, lacking the caudal sinus and with entire caudal margin subtruncate (pi. 22, fig. 5). Seventh sternum with a row of five small thin bristles followed by a row of six much longer ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long bristles ventrad to sensilium and with bristles on ventral portion as follows: three small bristles nearest to seventh sternum, a row of three and a row of four longer bristles (includ- ing marginals), one bristle dorsal and two ventral of shallow caudal margin sinus; two mesal small thin bristles near ventral anal lobe. Anal stylet (pi. 22, fig. 6) about twice as long as wide. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L.) with three short bristles, the shortest two at the cephalo- ventral angle. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 22, fig. 4) with head subovate, dorsal margin convex, ventral margin somewhat sinuate; tail somewhat longer than head and proximally almost as wide as head; apical portion marginally thickened and with an apical sclerotized papilla. Holotype. — A male from Mount Tancitaro, at 10,200 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancitaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico. Collected July 24, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Neotomodon alstonl Merriam (a rat resembling the woodrat). Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — One male and five females, same data as the holotype. In the collections of the United States National Museum, the Rocky Mountain Laboratory at Hamilton, Montana, the San Francisco Plague Laboratory, and Robert Traub. Remarks. — This species is interesting not only per se, but because the head chaetotaxy is suggestive of the genus Monopsyllus Kolenati. It is not known 40 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 whether the reduction of bristles is a primitive condition or a modification. The genitalia are very much like those of P. mundus, which in turn somewhat resemble the Monopsyllvs type, more so than the species previously discussed. The host of this new species is apparently rather rare and found in a relatively restricted area, possibly suggesting primitive features in its ectoparasites. Pleochaetis mundus (Jordan and Rothschild). Plates 23, 24. Ceratophyllus mundus Jordan and Rothschild, Ectoparasites, 1, p. 272, fig. 266 (male only), 1922. Pleochaetis mundus Jordan, Nov. Zool., 39, p. 77, 1933. Pleochaetis mundus, Dampf, Rev. Soc. Mex. Hist. Nat., 3, p. 135, pis. 21-23, 1942 (allotype designated and described). This species, the genotype, until recently was known only from the original collection. However, in 1942 Dampf described the allotype female and fully redescribed the male, superbly illustrating the characters mentioned. The follow- ing description is based upon specimens collected in Michoacan, Mexico, and stresses differences from P. paramundus sp. nov. P. mundtis is characterized by the insertion of the long spiniform at the apical sixth of the movable finger; by the apical width of the movable finger (three or more times proximal width), by the apex of the sclerotic inner tube being almost doubled upon itself; by the relatively short distal band of the sclerotized inner tube; and by the broadly pointed dorsal lobe of the female seventh sternum. Preantennal region of head (pi. 23, fig. 1, male) with two rows of bristles, the first row of seven bristles so irregular that it may appear like two rows, the second or ocular row with the typical three long bristles, of which the middle is the shortest. Postantennal bristles arranged 2-4-5. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with two caudal bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with six bristles arranged 3-3. Metepimeron bristles arranged 2-3-1. Measurements of male tibiae and tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 61 58 45 38 80 Meso- 234 122 99 66 38 83 Meta- 340 256 163 102 58 93 Abdominal terga with apical teeth arranged 2-2-2-2 in male, 2-2-2-1 in female. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 23, fig. 3).— Eighth tergum (pi. 23, fig. 2) with about four dorso-marginal bristles, three subdorsal marginal, three median, and two ventral, of which one is much longer than the other. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 23, fig. 6) proximally an acute triangle, then long and narrow, with about five short, very thin ventro- marginal bristles and three long subapical ones; an apical membranous subacute expansion. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 24, fig. 1) with apical margin truncate; two thin bristles at cephalo-dorsal angle and another somewhat displaced caudad ; caudal margin deeply concave apicad of insertion of the acetabular bristles, becoming convex at that in- sertion. Movable finger (F. and pi. 24, fig. 1) apically more than three times width of proximal portion ; cephalic margin angled at midpoint and produced cephalad at angle with TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 41 straight apical margin; caudal margin curving caudad for about five-sixths of its length; at apical sixth a long mesal submarginal spiniform; a spiniform about one-third as long inserted at apico-caudal angle; a still smaller spiniform proximad of apical one; three or four short thin bristles near apical margin and others near cephalic margin. Ninth sternum much like that of P. paramundus in shape and chaetotaxy but proximal lobe of distal arm (D.A.9 and pi. 24, fig. 2) hardly expanded, with four or five relatively short thin bristles; about five short thin marginal bristles on proximal part of cephalic lobe; distal portion of apical lobe relatively narrowed, with scattered short thin marginal and submarginal bristles. Aedeagus (pi. 23, fig. 4) much like that of P. paramund'us, but crochets (CR.) relatively larger, more than half of vertical diameter of endchamber; apex of sclerotic inner tube (A. S.I.) with proximal recurved portion extending almost as far distad as truncate apex proper, and with distal sclerotized band (B.I.T,} extending only to about level of penis rods. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 24, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with a broad deep sinus so that it possesses a somewhat broadly pointed dorsal lobe and a smaller rounded or subtruncate ventral lobe; two rows of bristles, the first of four or five short thin ones, the second of five much longer ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with about six lateral ventral non-marginal and seven marginal bristles, as in figure. Anal stylet (pi. 24, fig. 5) about three times as long as broad. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 24, fig. 4) subovate, slightly broader nearer tail than at extremity, slightly longer than tail which, in turn, is wide but not as wide as head and bears an apical papilla. Records. — Mexico: Tacubaya (not "Facubaya"), from field mouse, "Rato de campo" (data in original description); Mexico, D. F., from Peromyscus mela- notis Allen and Chapman, February, 1942 (Dampf ) ; same locality, but no host data, December, 1944, collected by H. Wagner; Michoacan, municipality of Tancitaro, altitude 6,000 feet, from "mouse," collected by K. L. Knight of Third Hoogstraal Biological Expedition to Mexico, July 29, 1940; same locality, from nest of Reithrodontomys c. chrysopsis Merriam and from Peromyscus hylocetes Merriam, collected by Robert Traub, July, 1941. Pleochaetis schmidti sp. nov. Plates 25, 26. Near P. paramundus sp. nov. and mundus but separated as follows: Movable finger much narrower, less than twice as wide apically as proximally (pi. 26, fig. 1), not three or more times as wide; only a short bristle at dorso-caudal angle, small spiniforms lacking. Proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum with long marginal bristles (pi. 26, fig. 2). Male eighth sternum (pi. 25, fig. 5) much shorter, from base to apex about three-fourths of length of distal arm of ninth sternum, not subequal. Female seventh sternum with a single broad apical lobe (pi. 26, fig. 3). Preantennal region with at least three distinct rows of bristles plus an additional ventral bristle. Postantennal region with three rows of bristles, as in mundus. The following description emphasizes differences from paramundus. Preantennal region (pi. 25, fig. 1, male) with irregular anterior row of about nine or ten bristles; second row of three longer bristles; ocular row of three still longer bristles; a long single bristle along ventral margin midway between lowest bristle in second and ocular rows. Postantennal rows of bristles arranged 3-4-4(5). Labial palpi (L.P.) about three-fourths of length of procoxae. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with three or four median or 42 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 caudal bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with six bristles in two rows of three. Lateral metanotal area with two or three bristles. Metepimeron with bristles arranged 2-3-2. Measurements of male tibiae and tarsi : LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 177 67 67 45 45 90 Meso- 272 135 118 77 48 106 Meta- 358 284 211 132 77 112 Abdominal terga with apical teeth typically arranged 2-2-2-2 in male, 2-2-2-1 in female. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 25, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum (pi. 25, fig. 2) with twelve dorso-marginal or subdorsal bristles and one ventral bristle. Eighth sternum short, less than four times as long as wide near base, with two short subapical bristles and one small thin ventral bristle. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 26, fig. 1) subconical, with two apical bristles; apical half of caudal margin straight, ventral half sinuate, the sinus originating at a prominent angle, the height of convexity at the insertion of the acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 26, fig. 1) subclavate, long, about twice the length of immovable process; proximal half with margins subparallel; cephalic margin with distal half shallowly concave; caudal border with distal half definitely convex and with about six thin short marginal bristles; a short mesal submarginal bristle, suggesting a spiniform, at dorso-caudal angle; apical margin straight except where curving caudad; apically about one and a half times as wide as proximally. Proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 26, fig. 2) with four short thin proximal marginal bristles and three marginal long curved bristles, each associated with a long but thinner submarginal one. Apical lobe with cephalic margin strongly convex; ventral margin biconvex; proximally expanded, with three long thin marginal bristles; sinus broad and mildly sinuate, the apical convexity with about three submarginal short thin bristles. Apical lobe with scattered small bristles as in figure; the triangular sclerotiza- tion associated with proximal portion displaced more dorsad than in most Pleochaetis, not submarginal. Aedeagus (pi. 25, fig. 4) much like that of paramundus and mundus but with neck (N.) narrower, longer than broad. Apex of sclerotized inner tube (A.S.I.) with proximal recurved area more at right angles, and with distal sclerotized band (B.I.T.) about as short as in mundus but with membranous portion (E.I.T.) extending far distad. Apodemal strut with three sclerites, as in paramundus, but median mesal lobe (M.S.) not acuminate, unlike paramundus. Crescent sclerite broader and shorter than in mathesoni. In this species the base of the aedeagus has a very deep sinus dorsad of the neck, while the ventral sinus or concavity proximad of the neck, characteristic of the other species, seems to be absent. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 26, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorsal margin deeply concave; caudal margin dorsally a truncate lobe, ventrally sharply turned cephalad and slightly concave; a curved row of five long bristles preceded by four smaller bristles. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long and one short bristle ventrad to sensilium; ventral bristles consisting of three small median bristles and two longer sub- ventral ones near two long marginal bristles, a small bristle ventrad of caudal marginal sinus and three longer ones at angle near ventral anal lobe. Anal stylet (pi. 26, fig. 5) some- what more than twice as long as broad. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 26, fig. 4) with head two- thirds as broad as long, broader near tail than at other extremity; slightly convex above; tail somewhat longer than width of head and about half as broad ; apical papilla not developed. Holotype. — A male from Volcan Tajumulco, Department of San Marcos, Guatemala. Collected February 27, 1934, by F. J. W. Schmidt on the Field TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 43 Museum-Leon Mandel Expedition to Guatemala. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Reithrodontomys sp. (a harvest mouse). Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Several males and females, same data as the holotype; in the collections of the United States National Museum and Robert Traub. Remarks. — This species is named for the collector, the late Franklin J. W. Schmidt, whose premature death cut short a promising career as a naturalist. Comment on the Genus Pleochaetis Some of the species of Pleochaetis seem to have a very wide distribution; for example, dolens is known from Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guate- mala, and equatoris from Ecuador and New Mexico. As shown previously, and as is borne out in the key below, the males fall into two distinct groups. However, the males of vermiformis sp. nov. and apollinaris are not yet known. The female of equatoris asetus subsp. nov. is unknown. The known forms are included in the following key. It is pointed out that only one character in the couplet need apply and it is not necessary to check each character mentioned. KEY TO KNOWN SPECIES OF PLEOCHAETIS 1. Males 2 Females 11 2. Movable finger with three or more marginal stout bristles (pi. 11, fig. 1), apical spiniforms absent; penis rods long, extending cephalad of aedeagus a distance almost equal to length of apodeme, usually coiled (pi. 10, fig. 4, P.R.) ; crochets (CR.) apically subtruncate, not acuminate; apical appendage (AP.A.) of apodeme long, about half or more the length of apodeme 3 Movable finger with at most one marginal stout bristle (pi. 26, fig. 1), usually with apical spiniforms (pi. 24, fig. 1) ; penis rods extending cephalad of aedeagus a dis- tance much less than length of apodeme (pi. 21, fig. 4, P.R.) ; crochets beak-shaped, apically acuminate (CR.); apical appendage (AP.A.) of apodeme less than one- fourth the length of apodeme 9 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum with proximal lobe lacking long curved bristles (pi. 17, fig. 5) equatoris asetus subsp. nov. (p. 33) Distal arm of ninth sternum with proximal lobe bearing several long curved stout bristles (pi. 11, fig. 2) 4 4. Neck of aedeagus (pi. 12, fig. 4, N.) relatively short, about as broad as long; apex of sclerotized inner tube (A.S.I.) much expanded, cephalic portion of expansion greater than ventral curved margin of median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.); eighth tergum (pi. 12, fig. 2) with five or six median and two ventral lateral bristles. sibynus (Jordan 1925) (p. 29) Neck of aedeagus (pi. 10, fig. 4, N.) two or more times as long as broad; apex of sclerotized inner tube (A.S.I.) less expanded cephalad, less than ventral curved margin of median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.); eighth tergum (pi. 10, fig. 2) with five or fewer median bristles and only one ventral lateral bristle 5 44 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 5. Movable finger about three times as long as wide at maximum (pi. 11, fig. 1); stout marginal bristle near midpoint of movable finger three times the width of the three more apical bristles mathesoni sp. nov. (p. 26) Movable finger only about two and one-half times as long as wide at maximum (pi. 16, fig. 3); stout marginal bristle near midpoint of movable finger no more than twice the width of the three more apical bristles 6 6. Head with only two distinct rows of preantennal bristles (pi. 16, fig. 1); movable finger with apical half definitely wider than proximal half because of marked convexity of apical caudal margin (pi. 16, fig. 3) . . . e. equatoris (Jordan 1933) (p. 32) Head with three rows of preantennal bristles (pi. 14, fig. 1) or with first antennal row of bristles irregular, appearing as two rows (pi. 18, fig. 1) ; movable finger with caudal margin fairly evenly rounded (pi. 19, fig. 1) 7 7. Movable finger virtually semilunar (pi. 15, fig. 1), with stoutest marginal bristle or subspiniform at midpoint; apex of sclerotized inner tube (pi. 14, fig. 5, A.S.I.) with only a very slight acuminate cephalic expansion that is much less than half the width of the sclerotized inner tube paras sp. nov. (p. 31) Movable finger with proximal half of caudal margin more narrowed than apical half (pi. 19, fig. 1), with stouter marginal bristle distad of midpoint; apex of sclerotized inner tube (pi. 18, fig. 6, A.S.I.) with acuminate cephalic expansion well developed, about half as wide as sclerotized inner tube 8 8. Proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum with four or five subequal long curved bristles dolens quitanus (Jordan 1931) (p. 36) Proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum with two (pi. 19, fig. 4) or three or four, long bristles but one of four shorter (pi. 19, fig. 3). dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild 1914) (p. 34) 9. Movable finger less than twice as wide apically as proximally (pi. 26, fig. 1) and lacking apical small spiniforms; proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum with long curved bristles (pi. 26, fig. 2) schmidti sp. nov. (p. 41) Movable finger two or more times as wide apically as proximally (pi. 22, fig. 1), apical small spiniforms present; proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth sternum lacking long curved bristles (pi. 22, fig. 2) 10 10. Movable finger with longest spiniform inserted at apical fourth (pi. 22, fig. 1); postantennal bristles reduced in number, l-2(3)-4 (pi. 21, fig. 1); sclerotized band of inner tube (pi. 21, fig. 4, B.I.T.) extended distally as far as ventral margin of lateral lobes paramundus sp. nov. (p. 38) Movable finger with longest spiniform inserted at apical sixth (pi. 24, fig. 1) ; post- antennal bristles arranged 2-4-5 (pi. 23, fig. 1); sclerotized band of inner tube (pi. 23, fig. 4, B.I.T.) extended distad only to level of penis rods. mundus (Jordan and Rothschild 1922) (p. 40) 11. Spermatheca vermiform, with head scarcely delimited from tail and of same width (pi. 20, fig. 5) vermiformis sp. nov. (p. 37) Spermatheca not vermiform, with head well separated from tail and at least wider proximally (pi. 20, fig. 2) 12 12. Head with postantennal bristles reduced in number, l-2(3)-4 (pi. 21, fig. 1). paramundus sp. nov. (p. 38) Head with two or three bristles in first postantennal row and four in second row (pi. 20, fig. 1) 13 TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 45 13. Seventh sternum with a fairly deep median sinus so that caudal margin is de- finitely bilobed (pi. 20, fig. 9) 14 Seventh sternum broadly rounded without a sinus (pi. 20, fig. 3), or with a broad shallow sinus so that caudal margin is slightly sinuate (pi. 13, fig. 3) 17 14. Dorsal lobe of seventh sternum broader than ventral lobe (pi. 24, fig. 3); head of spermatheca slightly longer than tail (pi. 24, fig. 4). mundus (Jordan and Rothschild 1922) (p. 40) Dorsal lobe of seventh sternum narrower than ventral lobe; head of spermatheca somewhat shorter than tail 15 15. Tail of spermatheca recurved over head, curve starting at base of tail, fairly ap- pressed to head and much longer than head (pi. 20, fig. 12) ; preantennal region with two rows of bristles (pi. 20, fig. 8) 16 Tail of spermatheca at right angle to head, at least at origin, scarcely longer than head (pi. 11, fig. 4); preantennal region with first row of bristles irregular, ap- pearing as two rows (pi. 10, fig. 1) mathesoni sp. nov. (p. 26) 16. Dorsal lobe of seventh sternum acuminate and much narrower than ventral lobe (pi. 20, fig. 9) apoUinaris (Jordan and Rothschild 1921) (p. 36) Dorsal lobe of seventh sternum rounded, almost as broad as ventral lobe (pi. 16, fig. 4) e. equatoris (Jordan 1933) (p. 32) 17. Seventh sternum with a single broad lobe caused by sharp ventro-cephalad curve in margin (pi. 26, fig. 3) schmidti sp. nov. (p. 41) Seventh sternum with ventro-caudal margin evenly rounded or subtruncate (pi. 20, fig. 3) 18 18. Seventh sternum with caudal margin evenly convex (pi. 15, fig. 3) 19 Seventh sternum with a broad shallow sinus (pi. 13, fig. 3) or with a slight incision (pi. 11, fig. 8, in part) 20 19. Apical half of tail of spermatheca curved over head, extending over midpoint of head (pi. 15, fig. 4) ; bristles of seventh and eighth sterna as in pi. 15, fig. 3. parus sp. nov. (p. 31) Tail of spermatheca not curved over head (pi. 20, fig. 2); bristles of seventh and eighth sterna as in pi. 20, fig. 3 dolens quitanus (Jordan 1931) (p. 36) 20. Head of spermatheca three-fourths as broad as long, with subparallel margins distad of constriction (pi. 11, fig. 4) mathesoni sp. nov. (p. 26) Head of spermatheca no more than two-thirds as broad as long, narrowed distally (pi. 19, fig. 7) 21 21. Seventh sternum with a subdorsal caudal sinus (pi. 13, fig. 3) ; head of spermatheca slightly more than half as broad as long (pi. 13, fig. 5) ; nine bristles on metepime- ron, arranged 4-4-1 sibynus (Jordan 1925) (p. 29) Seventh sternum with a shallow sinus for almost entire caudal margin (pi. 19, fig. 5) ; head of spermatheca about two-thirds as broad as long (pi. 19, fig. 7) ; usually only seven bristles on metepimeron. dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild 1914) (p. 34) KOHLSIA gen. nov. Genotype Kohlsia osgoodi sp. nov. Near Pkochaetis Jordan 1933 (s. str.) but with short stout bristles or sub- spiniforms on the distal arm of the male ninth sternum; aedeagal apodeme 46 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 broader, apically rounded and lacking an apical appendage; base of aedeagus broad, not constricted, neck therefore absent; median dorsal lobe of aedeagus expanded, flared and convoluted, forming accessory lobes; crochets almost as broad as long or broader; and female anal stylet lacking the dorsal bristle. Preantennal region of head with three or more rows of bristles, with four bristles in the penultimate row. Manubrium fairly long and narrow, apically about one-fourth (or less) as broad as cephalic margin of apodeme of ninth tergum. Male eighth tergum lacking ventral bristle. Proximal arm of ninth sternum with apex curved and acuminate. Movable finger with stout marginal bristles. Crochets finely reticulate, broad and subconical. Lateral lobes of aedeagus well developed, covering most of inner tube. Accessory lateral lobe present. Armature of sheath of inner tube well developed. Dorsal and /or ventral internal rod of endophallus often well sclerotized. Spermatheca subovate or more or less rounded. Ventral anal lobe of female with longish thin subspiniforms, not stout and recurved ones. Remarks. — In this genus belong Kohlsia graphis (Rothschild 1909) and four new species described below. As defined, it also includes K. campaniger (Jordan 1931), but as Dr. Jordan points out (in litt.), the bursa copulatrix is of quite a different type, and when the male is known, it may prove to be generically dis- tinct. The genus is named for Glen M. Kohls of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory of the United States Public Health Service, who has contributed much to the study of ectoparasites. Kohlsia osgoodi sp. nov. Plates 27, 28. Near K. graphis (Rothschild 1909), but readily separated from it, and the other new species described below, by the fact that the movable finger bears four stout marginal bristles or subspiniforms (pi. 28, fig. 1), not three (pi. 30, fig. 1). Further separated from graphis by virtue of the following: The male eighth sternum has a small dorsal subapical bristle (pi. 27, fig. 5) but no ventral one (pi. 30, fig. 4) ; the proximal lobe of the distal arm of the male ninth sternum bears an apical spiniform (pi. 28, fig. 2) in addition to proximal ones (pi. 30, fig. 6) ; the median dorsal lobe of the aedeagus (pi. 27, fig. 4, M.D.L.) has a promi- nent ventral claw-like convolution (PS.L.); the armature of the sheath of the inner tube (A.I.T.) is of a very different type (cf. pi. 29, fig. 4, A.I.T. and descriptions); there is a long narrow accessory spur (A.SP.) arising near the origin of the accessory lateral lobe; the head of the spermatheca is longer than broad (pi. 28, fig. 5), not subspherical (pi. 29, fig. 2); the female seventh sternum has a short truncate median lobe (pi. 28, fig. 3) ; the preantennal region has more than eight bristles in the irregular first row. Male and Female: Head (pi. 27, fig. 1, male). — Anterior margin evenly rounded, with frontal tubercle small but distinct. Preantennal region with three rows of bristles: The first with nine to eleven small bristles in a very irregular row, especially in male, in female only one or two bristles out of line; the second row with four longer bristles; the ocular row with three longer bristles of which the middle is the smallest. A series of very small setae along ventral border of antennal fossa and thinly scattered on gena. Eye conspicuous, subovate, well-pigmented. Genal process fairly broad, becoming acuminate. Maxillary lobe (MX.) extending to middle of fourth segment of maxillary palpus. Maxillary laciniae TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 47 (LAC.) about one-third of diameter of labial palpi, with apical half denticulate or micro- serrate. Labial palpi (L.P.) extending three-fourths the length of procoxae. Bristles of second antennal segment very short, scarcely reaching second annulation of club. A row of very small setae along dorsal margin of antennal fossa. Postantennal region with bristles arranged 3-5(6)-5(6) in male; female with an extra bristle at ventro-caudal angle. Thorax. — With five long bristles preceding the nine or ten pronotal ctenidial spines on each side. Mesonotum with a row of bristles along dorsum but with four rows represented in lateral aspect, the first row very incomplete, the second of similar short hairs, the third of six or seven longer bristles and the fourth of four or five very long bristles. Mesonotum with three or four apical seta-like extensions suggesting thin apical spinelets. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with two median bristles (preceded by a few small hairs) and four caudal bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with seven bristles arranged 1-3-3. Metanotum with three rows of bristles, the first incomplete. Metanotal flange with an apical small tooth on each side. Lateral metanotal area with two bristles, that in dorso-caudal angle twice the length of the median one. Metepisternum with one bristle in dorso-caudal angle. Metepimeron with seven bristles, often arranged 3-3-1. Legs. — Profemora with about six small thin lateral median bristles; meso- and meta- femora with one each. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 61 58 51 43 83 Meso- 260 122 99 70 48 83 Meta- 343 265 174 112 64 96 None of tarsal bristles reaching beyond apex of following segment. Distal tarsal segment of each leg with four pairs of lateral plantar bristles, basal pair slightly displaced medially. Blade of unguis about twice the length of thickened recurved basal portion. Abdomen. — First tergum with three rows of bristles, the first row very incomplete. Male with apical small teeth on each side of abdominal terga as follows: one on first tergum, two on second, and one on each of third and fourth. Female with tergal teeth 2-2-1-1. Second row of bristles on terga two to six much longer than first row and usually extending somewhat ventrad of spiracles. One bristle on ventral margin of basal sternum. Sterna three to six usually with four ventro-marginal bristles, the most dorsal the shortest. Male with upper antepygidial bristle very small, about one-seventh (or less) the length of middle one; ventral bristle somewhat less than one-third the length of middle one (pi. 27, fig. 3, A.B.) ; female with ventral antepygidial bristle somewhat more than half the length of middle one; dorsal bristle definitely less than half the length of middle one (pi. 28, fig. 3, A.B.). Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 27, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum large, covering most of genitalia, slightly spiculose caudad of sensilium, with three or four small dorso-marginal bristles and four dorso-median bristles, the last two long, as shown in pi. 27, fig. 2. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 27, fig. 5) long and narrow, somewhat longer than proximal portion of distal arm of ninth sternum, with a long subapical bristle and a much smaller subdorsal bristle; ventral bristles lacking. Intersegmental membrane (I.M.) between eighth and ninth segments somewhat enlarged and spiculose in vicinity of proximal lobe of distal arm of ninth segment. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 28, fig. 1) broadly rounded; apical portion broader than movable finger, apically with three short thin bristles; caudal margin straight except for shallow subapical sinus and slight convexity at the insertion of the two acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 28, fig. 1) scarcely extending distad of immovable process; less than three times as long as broad; cephalic and caudal margins subparallel 48 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 for most of their length; caudal margin with four short stout mesal bristles or subspiniforms, the four equally spaced and the fourth smaller and inserted near ventro-caudal angle; two or three short thin bristles on cephalic margin, and two more apicad and a longer one between second and third subspiniforms. Ventral margin of apodeme of ninth tergum (T.AP.9) subequal to cephalic margin of manubrium (MB.). Subpygidial sclerite of Wagner ap- parently not developed. Ninth sternum very well developed, somewhat V-shaped because of flexion in distal arm. Proximal arm (P.A.9) subequal in length to distal arm (D.A.9); apical third or fourth with cephalic margin concave, the remainder of ventral margin straight; dorsal margin shallowly concave proximally; apically convex so that apex of proximal arm suggests crooked finger, the crooked portion about three times as long as broad at middle. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 28, fig. 2) with a proximal caudal convexity or lobe and a median cephalic convexity; apically oblong. Proximal lobe of distal arm with three marginal spiniforms, two proximal and one apical, and with about ten thin lateral and submarginal bristles; three shorter spiniforms on caudal margin near apex of distal arm and thin bristles in a row or scattered, as in figure. Aedeagal apodeme (pi. 27, fig. 4, AE.A.) somewhat less than twice the length of aedeagus proper but more than three times as long as broad; dorsal margin slightly sinuate. Proximal spur (P.S.) present. A somewhat similar accessory spur (A.SP.) arising from base of tongue-like, proximally broad, acuminate accessory lateral lobe (A.L.L.) at base of aedeagus. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) greatly flared apically, convoluted, forming a primary median dorsal lobe (P.M.D.), a secondary or paradorsal lobe (P.D.L.) and an acuminate, somewhat curved, pseudo-ventral lobe (PS.L.). Lateral lobes (L.L.) ventrally and caudally evenly rounded, extending dorsad to subdorsal lobe. Crochets (CR. and pi. 28, fig. 2) subconical, almost as broad as long, ventrally strongly concave; proximo- ventrally associated with delicate, membranous, tufted, filamentous, acuminate microprojections; ventro-apically extended into two or three curved acuminate fang-like projections. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) with caudal margin ventrally subglobose, cephalic margin biconvex, the proximal projection extending proximo-cephalad. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) often appearing biconvex and winged due to distal extension of penis rod, actually only with cephalic expansion markedly acuminate and convex. Membranous inner tube apparently not extending distad. Apodemal strut supporting inner tube consisting of a broad sub- quadrate submedian mesal lobe (M.S.) and a large latero-ventral curved lobe (L.S.). The longer member of penis rods about twice the length of aedeagal apodeme. Ventral (I.R.) and dorsal (D.I.R.) intramural rods of endophallus relatively well sclerotized. Tenth abdominal segment conspicuous; sensilium fairly flat; dorsal lobe of proctiger (D.L.P.) with a dorsal fringe of bristles, subtriangular; ventral lobe (V.L.P.) of proctiger almost three times as long as broad, with about four long apical or subapical bristles preceded by a row of much smaller bristles. Proximal ventral sclerite represented by subtriangular dark area. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 28, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with a conspicuous, narrow, short, blunt lobe on caudal margin and with four long bristles preceded by one or two much shorter ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with two long bristles ventral to sensilium, five long subventral bristles, and three or four" bristles by caudo-marginal sinus. Eighth sternum (8 S.) about four times as long as broad. Anal stylet (pi. 28, fig. 6) somewhat more than twice as long as broad at base; ventral bristle at apical fourth, more than one-third the length of apical bristle; a minute vestige of dorsal bristle. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L. and pi. 28, fig. 4) angulate; extended apicad and acuminate at dorso-caudal angle; three fairly stout bristles near ventro-caudal angle, these subequal at base to the long apical bristles and not recurved. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 28, fig. 5) with head more than three-fifths as broad as long; dorsal margin convex, ventral margin shallowly biconvex; tail longer than head. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 49 Holotype. — A male from Santa Elena, Department of Chimaltenango, Guate- mala. Collected at 10,000 feet altitude, January 26, 1934, by F. J. W. Schmidt on the Field Museum-Leon Mandel Expedition to Guatemala. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Peromyscus guatemalensis Merriam. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Five males and seven females, same data as the holotype. In the collections of the United States National Museum, the Rocky Mountain Laboratory (Hamilton, Montana), the San Francisco Plague Laboratory, the Dominion Entomological Laboratory (Kamloops, British Columbia), the British Museum (Natural History), and Robert Traub. Remarks. — This species is named for F. L. Osgood of Rutland, Vermont, who has done much to advance the study of ectoparasites. Kohlsia graphis (Rothschild). Ceratophyllus graphis Rothschild, Nov. Zool., 16, p. 62, pi. 10, figs. 3, 4, 1909. This species has been discussed briefly in the comparison with K. osgoodi sp. nov. Important characteristics are: About seven bristles in first row of preantennal region (pi. 29, fig. 1) ; crochets (pi. 29, fig. 4, CR.) with narrowed acuminate distal projections, but these not bifid; apex somewhat bifid, not pointed. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) of aedeagus bifid, but ventral claw-like convolution absent. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) of aedeagus with an acumi- nate cephalad-projecting sclerotization. Without an accessory spur near accessory lateral lobe of aedeagus. Movable finger with three marginal equidistant subspiniforms. Male eighth sternum with one or two apical bristles and one ventral marginal bristle. Spermatheca (pi. 29, fig. 2) subspherical; tail much longer than head. Female seventh sternum (pi. 30, fig. 3, 7 S.) lacking a lobe. There are two subspecies known: Kohlsia graphis erana subsp. nov. Plates 29, figs. 1-5; 30, figs. 1-4. Separated from typical form in that the distal arm of the male ninth sternum is apically narrowed (pi. 30, fig. 2), not subtruncate (pi. 30, fig. 6) ; caudal margin of female seventh sternum apparently much less oblique (pi. 30, fig. 3), about 80 degrees from horizontal, not about 60 degrees. The following description stresses differences from K. osgoodi sp. nov. Head (pi. 29, fig. 1, male). — Preantennal bristles arranged 7-4-3; postantennal bristles 3-5(4)-5. Labial palpi extending almost to apex of procoxae, mesonotum with three rows of bristles, the first incomplete. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with one or two bristles near caudal margin. Metanotum with four rows of bristles, the first two incomplete. Metepimeron with seven to nine bristles. Measurements of male tibiae and tarsi : LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 192 77 77 64 48 96 Meso- 278 150 128 80 48 96 Meta- 430 320 208 128 64 109 Male abdominal terga with apical spinelets arranged 12-2-1; in female, 1-1-1-1. Ab- dominal sterna three to six with three or four bristles. 50 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 29, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum with two relatively short and two long bristles near dorsal margin, and one short and one long median bristle; margins indistinct. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 30, fig. 4) about three times as long as broad at base, with one or two apical bristles and a median bristle (sometimes also a ventral one) on apical fourth. Immovable process and movable finger of clasper (P. and F. and pi. 30, fig. 1) of same general shape as in K. osgoodi. Movable finger (F.) with three equidistant mesal sub- spiniforms on caudal margin, but none ventral ; about twice as long as broad at level of middle subspiniform; extending distad almost as far as immovable process. Ventral margin of apodeme of ninth tergum (T.AP.9) much shorter than cephalic margin of manubrium. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 30, fig. 2) with two or three marginal subspiniforms on proximal convexity and with three apical small subspiniforms; cephalic margin sharply curving caudad from below level of lowest apical subspiniform; thin bristles as in figure. Aedeagus (pi. 29, fig. 4) of same general type as that of osgoodi. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) with a single convolution, resulting in a rounded paradorsal lobe (P.D.L.) extend- ing almost as far apicad as primary median dorsal lobe (P.M.D.). Crochets (CR.) shaped like a cone with a subtruncate sinuate apex, about four-fifths as broad as long; cephalic margin less concave than dorsal and ventral margins; ventral margin with a very narrow acuminate projection at apical fifth. Tufted filamentous membranous microprojections apparently not fully associated with crochets (probably restricted to intersegmental mem- brane between eighth and ninth segments). Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) fairly well developed; ventral margin subtruncate; cephalic margin deeply concave, with squarish sides with an acuminate sclerotization pointing cephalo-dorsad. Lateral sclerotiza- tion of inner tube (L.S.I.) well developed as a lobe extending dorso-caudad. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) truncate, sides curved and subparallel. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 30, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorso-caudal margin straight and then becoming concave; caudal margin straight, almost perpendicular; a row of six long bristles (third somewhat smaller) preceded by a small one near ventral margin. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with three long bristles (dorsalmost half the length of others) ventral to sensilium; subventral bristles arranged 4-3-1, not counting two pairs of small mesal bristles ventrad to ventral anal lobe; four caudo-marginal bristles. Anal stylet (pi. 29, fig. 5) about three times as long as broad at base. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 29, fig. 2) with head subglobular; only slightly longer than broad; tail about twice the length of head, curved, about half the width of head at entrance, more dilated at proximal third than apically or proximally. Holotype. — A male from Department of Santa Ana, El Salvador. Collected for the University of California, April 23, 1942, by M. Hildebrand. In the collection of the United States National Museum. Host: Peromyscus sp. Allotype. — A female, same locality and depository as the type. Collected April 22, 1942, by M. Hildebrand and J. T. Marshall. Host: Sciurus d. deppei Peters (probably the true host). Paratype. — A female, same data as the allotype. In the collection of the San Francisco Plague Laboratory. Kohlsia graphis graphis (Rothschild 1909). Plates 29, fig. 6; 30, figs. 5-7. Examination of two paratype males, lent by Dr. Jordan, reveals that the dis- tal arm of ninth sternum is apically subtruncate, the apex curving cephalad just TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 51 proximad of level of middle subspiniform (pi. 30, fig. 6); male eighth tergum with four or five bristles. The original description states that the "apical edge of the (female) seventh sternite is very oblique." The original figure shows that the caudal margin makes an angle of about 60 degrees with the horizontal. The two paratypes are variable regarding the number of mesepimeron bristles (8 and 7), metepimeron bristles (8 and 7), number of bristles on eighth sternum (two on a side as in pi. 30, fig. 7, or with an additional subdorsal one), and arrangement of marginal stout bristles on movable clasper (as in pi. 30, fig. 5, or with middle bristle nearer dorsal). It is interesting to note how closely the aedeagal endchamber, as drawn (pi. 29, fig. 6) from specimens mounted nearly forty years ago, resembles that of the El Salvador subspecies. Known only from the original record: "Nicaragua (no further data), taken off Sciurus deppiei (sic) and received from Mr. W. F. H. Rosenberg." Kohlsia gammonsi sp. nov. Plate 31. This interesting new species is among the excellent material from El Salvador received for study through the kind co-operation of Dr. Frank M. Prince of the United States Public Health Service. Near K, osgoodi sp. nov. and graphis (Rothschild) but distinct in that the preantennal region of the head (pi. 31, fig. 1) has more than 20 bristles, often in five rows; the proximal lobe of the male distal arm (pi. 31, fig. 6) is very prominent, subequal to the width of the distal arm at that point; the median dorsal lobe of the aedeagus (pi. 31, fig. 4, M.D.L.) is trebly convoluted; the armature of the sheath of the inner tube (A.I.T.) is extended dorso-caudad as a beak-like exten- sion; the crochets (CR.) are conical and lack fang-like extensions. The male eighth sternum is relatively broader, with ventro-marginal bristles. The female seventh sternum has an acute dorsal lobe like that of osgoodi, but the spermatheca is more like that of graphis. Preantennal region in male with five rows of bristles arranged 3-6-5-5-3; in female 7(irregular row)-7-4-3. Labial palpi about three-fourths of length of procoxae. Post- antennal bristles usually 4-5-5. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with two submedian and two caudal bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with eight bristles. Metepimeron with six bristles arranged 2-3-1. Measurements of male tibiae and tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 144 61 51 42 38 77 Meso- 224 115 96 61 38 80 Meta- 315 256 160 102 58 90 Male abdominal terga with apical teeth 1-2-1-1; in female, 1-1-1-1. Male abdominal sterna usually with three bristles, in female usually with four, of which most dorsal is shortest. Female with tergum projecting somewhat between bases of antepygidial bristles. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 31, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum apparently with only four bristles, three long and one short. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 31, fig. 5) broader a .--•• ILL 52 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 subapically than proximally, apically somewhat rounded, lacking the typical long apical bristle, but with five ventral bristles, the most apical two longest, the ultimate one subapical. Immovable process (P. and pi. 31, fig. 9) and movable finger (F.) much like that of osgoodi but lacking the ventral subspiniform and with the three mesal caudo-marginal sub- spiniforms nearer the middle. Movable finger with caudal margin evenly rounded ; somewhat less than three times as long as broad at middle. Proximal arm of ninth sternum (P.A.9) with curved apex only about twice as long as broad at middle. Distal arm (D.A.9 and pi. 31, fig. 6) with a very pronounced proximal lobe on caudal margin, the lobe as broad as the rest of distal arm at this point and bearing three marginal short subspiniforms; cephalic margin sinuate, the sinus subapical; apex somewhat narrowed and truncate and bearing three short marginal subapical subspiniforms. Distal arm with scattered thin bristles as in figure. Aedeagus (pi. 31, fig. 4) of same general type as that of osgoodi. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) sinuate proximally, trebly convoluted, forming a well-extended primary median dorsal lobe (P.M.D.), a shorter primary paradorsal lobe (P.D.L.), and a still shorter secondary paradorsal lobe. Accessory lateral lobe (A.L.L.) proximally very broad. Ac- cessory spur (A.SP.), at base of accessory lateral lobe, fairly straight. Crochets (CR.) conical, as broad as long, with shallowly concave ventral margin. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) conspicuously extended dorso-caudad as narrow, curved, acuminate projections; proximo-cephalic margin with a sinus; proximo-caudal margin straight; apex of sclerotized inner tube (A.S.I.) reduced to a small acuminate projection along cephalic border of curve of armature of inner tube. Dorsal intramural rod of endophallus feebly sclerotized. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 31, fig. 8). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with an acuminate short dorso-caudal lobe; caudal margin ventrad of sinus mildly sinuate, more than five times as broad as dorsal lobe. Seventh sternum with a row of six long bristles, preceded by two small ventral bristles. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with five subventral lateral bristles (one of which is short), not counting the three at ventro-caudal angle. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 31, fig. 7) with head about three-fourths as broad as long, dorsal margin convex, ventral margin fairly straight; tail almost twice as long as head, more than half as broad, curved so that apical axis is at right angles to proximal axis. Anal stylet (pi. 31, fig. 2) somewhat less than three times as long as broad near base. Holotype. — A male from Department of Chalatenango, El Salvador. Col- lected for the University of California, March 25, 1942, by M. Hildebrand. In the collection of the United States National Museum. Host: Peromyscus sp. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype, but col- lected March 24, 1942. Paratype. — A female, same data as the allotype. In the collection of the San Francisco Plague Laboratory. Remarks. — This very interesting species is named for Mr. Gray Gammons of the Army Medical Department Research and Graduate School, who has helped me immeasurably in this study. Kohlsia uniseta sp. nov. Plate 32. Unique in that immovable process bears only one acetabular bristle. Near K. gammonsi sp. nov., but otherwise separated by the following: median dorsal lobe of aedeagus (pi. 32, fig. 5, M.DJL,.) bifid, the lobes almost equal; accessory lateral lobe (A.LX.) very narrow proximally; armature of sheath of inner tube TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 53 (A.I.T.) with a narrow acuminate caudal projection; accessory aedeagal spur lacking; distal arm of ninth sternum (pi. 32, fig. 4) without prominent proximal lobe; female seventh sternum lacking apical lobe. Separated from osgoodi and graphis by the absence of fang-like projections on the crochets. The following description stresses differences from osgoodi. Head (pi. 32, fig. 1, male). — Bristles of preantennal region very variable, arranged 5 (tiny) -6-4-3 in one male, 7 (irregular) -5-4 in another, 7-5-3 in a third; females usually 7-4-3. Labial palpi (L.P.) extending more than three-fourths of length of procoxae. Post- antennal region with bristles 4-5-5. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with one submedian and two caudal bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) usually with six bristles arranged 3-3, at times with seven. Metepimeron with seven or eight bristles. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 61 58 45 35 83 Meso- 246 112 96 67 45 83 Meta- 320 256 177 106 61 96 Male abdominal terga with apical teeth arranged 1-2-2-1; female, l(2)-2-l-l. Male sterna three to six usually with three bristles; female with four, of which most dorsal is shortest. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 32, fig. 3). — Eighth tergum apparently with five subdorsal or median lateral bristles of which three are long. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 32, fig. 6) apically narrow, with two long apical bristles and a long dorso-marginal bristle on each side. Immovable process (P. and pi. 32, fig. 2) and movable finger (F.) much like that of osgoodi but with only one acetabular bristle and with ventral marginal subspiniform lacking. Movable finger with caudal margin evenly rounded, extending virtually as distad as im- movable process. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A. 9 and pi. 32, fig. 4) with proximo-caudal margin somewhat convex, but definite lobe lacking, the proximal convexity with three short sub- spiniforms; cephalic margin with a convex flange-like margin extending to subapical portion; apical portion almost as broad as rest of distal arm ; two short subapical subspiniforms near caudal margin and scattered thin bristles as in figure. Aedeagus (pi. 32, fig. 5) of same general type as that of osgoodi. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) cleft or bifid, with resulting paradorsal lobe (P.D.L.) fairly broad and extending about three-fourths as far distad as primary median dorsal lobe (P.M.D.). Crochets (CR.) somewhat limpet-shaped, apex biconvex, about one-fourth of diameter of sinuate base; cephalic margin concave, oblique proximally; caudal margin shallowly concave. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) expanded as a long acuminate projection or spur pointing caudad at the level of the proximally thin accessory lateral lobe (A.L.L.), with a thin but well sclerotized sinuate girdle, suggesting carabao horns, ventrad to the above spur; proximal portion broad and rounded, curving ventro-cephalad. Apex of sclerotized inner tube (A.S.I.) slightly sinuate or sub truncate, with angles somewhat sharp and expanded. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 32, fig. 8). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorso-caudal margin concave; caudal margin with a slight dorsal sinus, the remainder fairly straight; a row of six long bristles. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with seven long subventral lateral bristles arranged 5-2; four caudo-marginal bristles; four or five shorter mesal bristles, two of which are very short and thin. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 32, fig. 7) with head slightly 54 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 longer than broad, dorsal and ventral margins convex; tail elbowed, much longer than head, proximal portion slightly more than half as broad as head. Anal stylet (pi. 32, fig. 9) some- what more than twice as long as broad near base, at times with one to three minute super- numerary hairs. Holotype. — A male from Department of Santa Ana, El Salvador. Collected for the University of California, April 22, 1942, by M. Hildebrand. In the collection of the United States National Museum. Host: Peromysais sp. Attotype.—A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Two males and three females, same data as the holotype. In the collections of Chicago Natural History Museum, the San Francisco Plague Laboratory, and Robert Traub. Remarks. — The name was suggested by the fact that the male clasper has only one acetabular bristle. Kohlsia cora sp. nov. Plate 33, figs. 1-4, 6-7. This species, of which only the male is known, is near K. uniseta sp. nov., but the clasper has two (not one) acetabular bristles. Other differences are: distal arm of ninth sternum with but one apical subspiniform (not two) and with two distal contiguous subspiniforms on proximal convexity (pi. 33, fig. 3) instead of well-separated ones. Aedeagus (pi. 33, fig. 4) with a very short primary paradorsal lobe (P.D.L.) and equally short secondary paradorsal lobes instead of a single paradorsal lobe that is subequal in length to the median dorsal lobe; a well-developed accessory lateral lobe (A.L.L.); ventral margin of crochet (CR.) evenly concave, not doubly sinuate; apex of sclerotized inner tube (A.S.7.) truncate; armature of inner tube (A.7.71.) without acuminate processes. Eighth sternum (pi. 33, fig. 7) with a subapical ventral bristle. Head (pi. 33, fig. 1, male). — With preantennal bristles arranged 7-4-3. Labial palpi (L.P.) about seven-eighths of length of procoxae. Postantennal bristles 4-5-5. Mesepister- num (MPS.) with three fairly short bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with seven bristles arranged 2-3-2. Metepimeron with seven bristles arranged 2-4-1. Measurements of male tibiae and tarsal segments: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 160 63 58 48 36 83 Meso- 240 115 90 61 42 83 Meta- 330 256 166 96 58 99 Abdominal tergal teeth arranged 1-2-2-1. Sterna three to six with three bristles. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 33, fig. 2). — Eighth tergum with apparently five subdorsal or median lateral bristles, of which one is short. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 33, fig. 7) very narrow, with a long apical bristle and two smaller subapical bristles, one apparently submedian, the other ventro-marginal. Immovable process (P. and pi. 33, fig. 6) and movable finger (F.) much like that of osgoodi but with ventral marginal subspiniform lacking and with movable finger broader, about twice as long as broad at level of most ventral marginal stout bristle. Caudal margin of movable finger strongly convex; cephalic margin angled at apical fifth. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 55 Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 33, fig. 3) with caudal margin sinuate but with resulting proximal convexity less than one-third of diameter of distal arm at this level; proximal convexity with three short curved subspiniforms, one at base of convexity and the other two contiguous and apical; apical portion of distal arm somewhat narrower than proximal, with a short subapical subspiniform ; thin bristles scattered on distal arm as in figure; cephalic margin with a conspicuous flange-like margin that curves caudo-apicad at apical eighth of distal arm. Aedeagus (pi. 33, fig. 4) of same general type as that of osgoodi. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) medially convoluted, forming a primary paradorsal lobe (P.D.L.) — that extends apicad only about one-half or two-thirds as much as the primary median dorsal lobe (P.M.D.) — and an equally short secondary paradorsal lobe. Crochets (CR.) shaped somewhat like an equilateral triangle with concave sides, the cephalic margin the most concave, the caudal the least, and the ventral proximally almost straight (the crochets are pivoted strongly dorsad in the specimen, and the well-developed rounded lateral lobes at first glance appear to be the crochets). Accessory lateral lobe (A.L.L.) well developed proximally but rapidly becoming acuminate. Armature of sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) well developed as a massive curved sclerite arising distad of apodemal struts supporting inner tube and then curving cephalad to base of accessory lateral lobe; lacking acuminate projections. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) broad and truncate; lateral margins squared at apex, equally curved proximally. Holotype. — A unique male from Department of Morazan, El Salvador. Collected for the University of California, December 29, 1941, by M. Hildebrand. In the collection of the United States National Museum. Host: Peromyscus sp. Kohlsia campaniger (Jordan). Plate 33, fig. 5. Ceratophyttus campaniger Jordan, Nov. Zool., 37, p. 143, fig. 12, 1931. This species is known to me only from the original description, which was based on a single female. As I previously pointed out, Dr. Jordan (in litt.) states that the bursa copulatrix is of a unique type and that when the male is found it may prove that the species belongs in a separate genus. This species can apparently be readily recognized by the bell-shaped duct of the spermatheca; no other known species of Kohlsia has such a duct. The seventh sternum is also fairly straight in graphis and gammonsi, but in these species the seventh sternum bears six long bristles, not five. Furthermore, the other species have only two or three large bristles ventrad to sensilium, not four. "Close to C. graphis Roths. 1909. As in that species the frons and occiput with three rows of bristles, the proboscis reaching to the end of the forecoxae; the bristles on antennal segment II short; on mesonotum numerous small bristles from the posterior row to the base; bristles above stigma of VIII. t. numerous; those of anal sternite long and slender. Differs in the apical margin of VII. st. being much less slanting [pi. 33, fig. 5, after Jordan], in VIII. t. bearing 4 large bristles below stigma and in the sexual organs: while the spermatheca is practically the same as in C. graphis, its duct begins with a large, bell-shaped, thick-walled, swelling which is longer than broad, being longer than head of spermatheca." (Original description.) Records. — "Ecuador (no more precise locality given), one (female) found by the late Oldfield Thomas on a spirit specimen of Hesperomys (coll. Frazer) in the British Museum." 56 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Comment on the Genus Kohlsia Although this genus is reported only from Peromyscus and Sciurus in Ecuador and Central America, it probably parasitizes various small rodents in northern South America and in Central America, and probably occurs also in Mexico. The movable finger and immovable process of the clasper is of fairly uniform structure in the known species. However, the aedeagus shows many and in- teresting modifications from a fundamental pattern. The male ninth sternum is an important taxonomic aid in the group. While there are at times striking differences in the head chaetotaxy, it should be noted that individuals of the genus tend to be variable regarding the general chaetotaxy, although all species seem to possess more bristles than even those of Pleochaetis s. str. In the key to the species that follows, it should be borne in mind that the fe- male of cora is not yet known, while campaniger is known only from the female. In the case of the males, only one character listed in a couplet need apply. It is difficult to find characters for the females that are as clear-cut, hence all the characters listed should be checked. KEY TO KNOWN SPECIES OF KOHLSIA 1. Males 2 Females 7 2. Movable finger with four stout marginal bristles or subspiniforms including one near ventral margin (pi. 28, fig. 1) ; median dorsal lobe of aedeagus with a promi- nent ventral claw-like convolution (pi. 27, fig. 4, PS.L.) osgoodi sp. nov. (p. 46) Movable finger with three marginal stout bristles or subspiniforms, none ventral (pi. 30, fig. 1); aedeagus convoluted, but ventral curved claw-like lobe absent. . . 3 3. Eighth sternum (pi. 31, fig. 5) with more than two ventro-marginal bristles in addi- tion to subapical or apical ones; distal arm of ninth sternum with a very pro- nounced proximal lobe, as broad as rest of arm at this level (pi. 31, fig. 6) ; armature of inner tube of aedeagus (pi. 31, fig. 4, A.I.T.) extended dorso-caudad as long beak-like projection gammonsi sp. nov. (p. 51) Eighth sternum with only one (or no) ventro-marginal bristle (pi. 30, fig. 4) ; distal arm of ninth sternum proximally somewhat convex but lobe never equal to width of arm at this level (pi. 30, fig. 2); armature of inner tube not extended as beak-like projection 4 4. Immovable process of clasper with only one acetabular bristle (pi. 32, fig. 2) ; arma- ture of inner tube of aedeagus (pi. 32, fig. 5, A.I.T.) with an acuminate caudad- directed spur uniseta sp. nov. (p. 52) Immovable process of clasper with two acetabular bristles (pi. 30, fig. 5); armature of inner tube without a caudal spur (pi. 29, fig. 4, A.I.T.) 5 5. Aedeagal crochets (pi. 29, fig. 4, CR.) with an acuminate fang-like ventral projec- tion^); paradorsal lobe of aedeagus (P.D.L.) straight; secondary paradorsal lobe absent; distal arm of ninth sternum (pi. 30, fig. 2) with two or three subapical short stout bristles or subspiniforms 6 Aedeagal crochets (pi. 33, fig. 4, CR.) lacking fang-like projections; primary (P.D.L.) and secondary paradorsal lobes present, convex; distal arm of ninth sternum (pi. 33, fig. 3) with only one short subapical subspiniform cora sp. nov. (p. 54) TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 57 6. Apex of distal arm of ninth sternum curved and oblique, curving caudad somewhat proximad of level of most proximal subspiniform (pi. 30, fig. 2). graphis erana subsp. nov. (p. 49) Apex of distal arm subtruncate, curving caudad slightly apicad of level of most proximal subspiniform (pi. 30, fig. 6) graphis graphis (Rothschild 1909) (p. 50) 7. Duct of spermatheca with a large, bell-shaped, thick-walled swelling (pi. 33, fig. 5) ; four large bristles ventral to sensilium campaniger (Jordan 1931) (p. 55) Spermatheca with duct lacking a bell-shaped, thick-walled swelling; only two or three large bristles ventral to sensilium 8 8. Seventh sternum with a pronounced but acute dorsal lobe on caudal margin (pi. 31, fig. 8) 9 Seventh sternum at most with a shallow subdorsal sinus (pi. 30, fig. 3) or straight, true lobe lacking 10 9. Preantennal region with four distinct rows of bristles; seventh sternum with five or six subequal long bristles (pi. 31, fig. 8, 7 S.) gammonsi sp. nov. (p. 51) Preantennal region with three rows of bristles but first row may have one or two bristles out of line (pi. 27, fig. 1) ; seventh sternum with four subequal long bristles and one or two shorter ones (pi. 28, fig. 3, 7 S.) osgoodi sp. nov. (p. 46) 10. Tail of spermatheca more dilated at curve than elsewhere (pi. 29, fig. 2) ; abdominal tergal teeth 1-1-1-1 11 Tail of spermatheca no broader at curve than elsewhere (pi. 32, fig. 7); abdominal tergal teeth l(2)-2-l-l uniseta sp. nov. (p. 52) 11. Seventh sternum with caudal margin very oblique, making an angle of about 60 degrees with horizontal graphis graphis (Rothschild 1909) (p. 50) Seventh sternum with caudal margin almost perpendicular, making an angle of about 80 degrees with horizontal (pi. 30, fig. 3, 7 5.) ... .graphis erana subsp. nov. (p. 49) DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW CERATOPHYLLID FLEAS FROM MEXICO The species of Foxella are characteristic parasites of pocket gophers in North America. Two species were heretofore known : Foxella ignota (Baker 1895) and Foxella mexicana I. Fox 1939. Nine subspecies of ignota have been described. As might be expected, because of the subterranean habits of the host, the eye is vestigial in both species. Among the material collected by the Fourth Hoog- straal Biological Expedition to Mexico is a very distinct undescribed species. Foxella hoogstraali sp. nov. Plates 34, figs. 1-5; 35. Near F. mexicana I. Fox 1939 (of which only the female is known) in that the second preantennal row of bristles consists of seven bristles, not four, and the caudal margin of the female seventh sternum is concave near the ventral margin. Distinct from paratype female of mexicana in that the seventh sternum bears a row of about ten long bristles preceded by seven small ones, not a row of twelve long bristles preceded by two rows of four bristles and seven small ones. The seventh sternum, though variable in shape, seems to lack the median con- vexity of mexicana. Other differences: Metepimeron in new species with about twelve bristles, not sixteen; lateral metanotal area with five or fewer bristles, 58 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 not seven; an apical bristle of metatibia extending distad of apex of first tarsal segment of metatarsus; apical bristle of first metatarsal segment extending to apex of third, not merely to apex of second. Further separated from ignota in that the immovable process of the male clasper is rounded apically, not conical. The male eighth sternum lacks a stout apical bristle which is longer and stouter than the others and it is not produced into a narrow process apicad of the apical bristle. The aedeagal crochets (pi. 34, fig. 5, CR.) are apically broadly lanceolate, not somewhat sickle-shaped (pi. 34, fig. 6, CR.). The armature of the sclerotized sheath of the inner tube (AJF.T.) is markedly sinuate, instead of merely being developed into a slight tubercle. The lateral lobes of the aedeagus (L.L.) are apically biconcave, not biconvex. Male and Female: Head (pi. 34, fig. 1, male). — Fronto-clypeal margin evenly rounded; tubercle high, above level of most dorsal preantennal bristle. Preantennal region with two irregular rows of bristles; about eight bristles in first row (sometimes appearing as 7-1) and about seven in second. Eye completely vestigial. Genal process apically acuminate, with two small bristles on each side ventrad to labrum. Maxillary lobe (MX.) not reaching apex of second segment of five-segmented labial palpus. Prementum of labium well de- veloped, appearing as a palpal segment. Scape of antenna with an apical fringe of about ten bristles that are slightly longer than antennal club. About ten very small bristles bordering dorsal margin of antennal groove. Postantennal region with a large ventral bristle near antennal groove and a caudo-marginal row of long bristles. Thorax. — Pronotal comb with a total of about twenty spines, preceded by a row of about six or seven long bristles on each side, the ventralmost the longest. Mesonotum and metanotum each with two rows of bristles. Three seta-like extensions suggesting thin elongate spinelets, on each side of mesonotum. Metanotal flange with a short apical spinelet. Mesepisternum (MPS.) usually with five or six bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with about eight or nine long thin bristles. Lateral metanotal area with a row of four or five bristles, sometimes with an additional smaller bristle preceding the row. Metepisternum with four long bristles near dorso-caudal angle. Metepimeron with about twelve bristles usually arranged 4-6-2 or 3-1-5-3. Legs. — Meso- and metafemora with a longitudinal row of long lateral bristles. Measure- ments of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 192 77 73 58 53 128 Meso- 295 138 106 80 64 128 Meta- 445 358 211 128 87 144 Hindtarsus with an apical bristle of first segment extending beyond apex of second and with an apical bristle of second extending beyond apex of fourth segment. Blade of unguis somewhat more than twice the length of recurved basal portion. Abdomen. — First tergum with three rows of bristles, the first incomplete. Male with one apical very small tooth on each side of terga one to four; female with tergal teeth 1-1(2)- 1-0(1). Second row of tergal bristles extending ventrad of spiracles; bristles very long, often extending beyond tergal margin. Female with two rows of four small bristles. Ab- dominal sterna two to six with a row of four or five long ventro-marginal bristles preceded by three or four small ones. Male with three antepygidial bristles (pi. 34, fig. 4, A.B.), but dorsal bristle extremely reduced; middle bristle somewhat longer than ventral. Female usually with three antepygidial bristles (pi. 35, fig. 3, A.B.), of which the dorsal is almost TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 59 half the length of the others; some with four bristles on both sides or on one side, because of an accessory subdorsal long bristle. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 34, fig. 4). — Eighth tergum with about thirty long lateral or marginal bristles distributed as in figure and with a patch of very small mesal subdorsal bristles. Eighth sternum (pi. 34, fig. 3) proximally broad; apical portion shaped like an isosceles triangle; a ventro-marginal row of about seven bristles, the ultimate two the longest and near apex. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 35, fig. 2) broad, apically rounded and with about four small thin bristles; caudal margin with a broad shallow sinus distad of the two relatively widely separated acetabular bristles. Movable finger (F . and pi. 35, fig. 2) long and narrow, almost four times as long as broad at maximum; distance between its apex and apex of immovable process almost equal to length of P.; a short apical bristle, three long marginal bristles near dorso-caudal angle and two long bristles on caudal margin distad of midpoint; apical half with margins subparallel, straight (except for rounded apex); cephalic margin convex at proximal third. Manubrium (MB.) with margins suggesting a 45 degree angle, but apex somewhat oblique; longer than tergal apodeme of ninth tergum, which forms dorso-proximal portion of clasper lobe. Ninth sternum well sclerotized, with proximal arm (P.A.9) subequal in length to distal arm (D.A.9) and apically curving dorsad, then cephalad. A very well-developed spring arising from angle of proximal and distal arms. Distal arm (D.A.9 and pi. 35, fig. 1) bilobed because of a prominent, deep, rounded sinus on caudal margin. Proximal lobe of distal arm strongly convex, though somewhat flattened, with three or four long marginal bristles, three much smaller adjacent lateral submarginal bristles and a similar small, more proximal bristle. Apical lobe of distal arm more than twice the length of the sinus and about twice as long as broad, with about sixteen thin scattered bristles as shown in figure. Aedeagal apodeme (pi. 34, fig. 5, AE.A.) long and narrow and with an apical appendage (AP.A.). Proximal spur (P.S.) present. Neck region (N.) of aedeagus slightly broader than long (measured between rapidly flaring portions) . Expanded endchambers — measured from ventral margin of lateral lobe (L.L.) to dprsal margin of median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.)— somewhat more than twice as broad as aedeagal apodeme. Lateral lobes (L.L.) well developed ; ventral margin broadly convex and extending well ventrad of penis rods; caudal margin biconcave, with the resulting convexity well rounded. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) simple, unflared, apex subtruncate. Crochets (CR.) with proximal margin biconvex; proximally well sclerotized; dorsal margin convex; ventral margin biconcave, but sinuses shallow, and the bulge situated at insertion of small barrel-shaped sclerotization ; apex subacuminate; apical three-fifths shaped like an isosceles triangle. Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) developed as a strongly arched vermiform structure. Apex of sclerotic inner tube (A.S.I.) appearing as a recurved sclerite mesad of apex of A.I.T. , broadest at apical third. Inner tube proper not apparent. Apodemal strut supporting inner tube consisting of a fairly broad, apically curved dorsal lobe (D.S.), a fairly broad mesal lobe (M.S.), and a somewhat curved lateral ventral lobe (L.S.). The crescent sclerite (C.S.) arching dorsad of sclerites of apodemal strut, about five times as long as broad. Penis rods (P.R.) extending only slightly beyond apex of aedeagal apodeme; uncoiled. Dorsal intramural rod of en- dophallus (D.I.R.) slightly sclerotized but visible. Ventral intramural rod (I.R.) well developed, extending cephalad about half of length of entire aedeagus. Tenth abdominal segment conspicuous; sensilium relatively flat; dorsal lobe of proctiger subconical, with a fringe of apical and subapical bristles; ventral lobe of proctiger similar, but with an apical tuft of bristles. Proximal ventral sclerite represented by a subtriangular dark area. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 35, fig. 3).— Seventh sternum (7 S.) slightly sinuate (pi. 35, fig. 3) or with a definite median sinus (pi. 35, fig. 4) ; a small shallow sinus 60 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 near ventral margin; a row of eight to ten long bristles preceded by about six or seven smaller ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with four or five bristles ventrad to sensilium, and about 30 fairly long bristles on ventral portion, often in five irregular rows, arranged as in figure. Dorsal anal lobe with several rows of small and long bristles, the longest ones mar- ginal and apical. Anal stylet (pi. 35, fig. 5) about two and three-fourths to three and one-half times as long as broad at maximum, with two long apical bristles and one fairly long ventral bristle. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L. and pi. 35, fig. 6) angulate near base, with many bristles, most of them lateral and scattered, some mesal and marginal. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 35, fig. 7) with head almost as broad as long, dorsal and ventral margins strongly convex; tail about as long as head, with an apical sclerotized papilla. Holotype. — A male from Mount Tancitaro, at 10,500 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancitaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico. Collected July 21, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Zygogeomys trichojrus Merriam, a pocket gopher. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Twenty-one males and thirteen females from the plateau (6,000 feet altitude) near the municipality of Tancitaro and from Mount Tancitaro at altitudes from 6,000 to 10,000 feet. Collected June and July, 1941, by Robert Traub, Harry Hoogstraal, and Ralph Haag. Same host as holotype. In the collections of the United States National Museum, the Rocky Mountain Labora- tory (Hamilton, Montana), the San Francisco Plague Laboratory, the Dominion Entomological Laboratory (Kamloops, British Columbia), the British Museum (Natural History), and Robert Traub, E. W. Jameson, and other miscellaneous collections. Remarks. — It is well known that although pocket gophers may be abundant in a local area, they often have a discontinuous distribution. This probably accounts for the many named forms of both host and ectoparasites. It is in- teresting to note that the series of hoogstraali shows variations that are correlated with locality. Those females collected at 6,000 feet altitude have a definite sinus on the seventh sternum (pi. 35, fig. 4); those taken on Mount Tancitaro at altitudes from 9,800 to 10,500 feet lack this sinus (pi. 35, fig. 3). The species is named for Mr. Harry Hoogstraal, who, through his expeditions to Mexico, has done much to help us understand the ectoparasites of the mam- mals of this country. Among the Siphonaptera collected by the Third Hoogstraal Biological Expedition to Mexico (1940) is this new species of Orchopeas from a tree-squirrel. Orchopeas fulleri sp. nov. Plates 36, 37. Agrees with 0. sexdentatus (Baker 1904) in that the male possesses five spiniforms on the movable finger, but resembles 0. howardii (Baker 1895) in that the movable finger is as broad as high and the apical lobe of the distal arm of the male ninth sternum is broader than high. Male and Female: Head (pi. 36, fig. 1, male). — Fronto-clypeal margin evenly rounded, with frontal tubercle median and distinct, arising from a marginal sclerotization. Prean- TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 61 tennal region with six bristles: the first very small and bordering antennal groove at level of tubercle; the second somewhat larger, more median, near antennal groove; the third median, larger; the remaining three in a row ventro-cephalad of well-developed, subovate eye. Five or six tiny bristles bordering antennal groove, and one or two intercalated between setal bases. Epipharyngeal stiletto (EPX.) arising between maxillary palpi; very finely micro- denticulate apically. Maxillary lobe (MX.) extending just distad of base of third maxillary palpal segment. Maxillary laciniae (LAC.) (mandibles of authors) slightly wider than epipharyngeal stiletto, one-third of diameter of labial palpus, with apical two-thirds denticu- late or micro-serrate, the serrations directed ventrad. Epipharyngeal and lacinial stilettos and five-segmented labial palpi (L.P.) all extending slightly distad of apex of procoxae. Scape of antenna less than two-thirds of length of ellipsoidal nine-segmented clavus; five tiny bristles near insertion, two or three near dorso-caudal angle, and an apical row of very small bristles. Second segment of antenna with somewhat longer bristles; in male, bristles extending one-fourth of length of clavus, in female, about three-fourths. About fifteen very small bristles in an irregular row bordering dorsal margin of antennal groove; caudal bristles paired. Postantennal region with two small and one large median bristle, and with a marginal row of five bristles displaced onto the head flange proper, caudad of flange sulcus; bristle at ventro-caudal angle very long, reaching mesepisternum. Female with an additional bristle ventral to the ultimate very long bristle. Thorax. — Pronotum with a row of five bristles, with intercalated fine hairs and a ctenidium with about nine spines on each side, the most ventral being very narrow. Meso- notum with fine small bristles bordering cephalic margin; two rows of five median bristles, the caudal row of larger bristles, with very fine small ones intercalated between their bases, and, on the caudal margin, three seta-like extensions, suggesting thin elongate spinelets. Mesepisternum (MPS.) in male with three bristles; in female with apparently two median and two submarginal (caudal) bristles. Mesepimeron (MPM.) of male with five bristles in a median row of three, and a submarginal row of two interrupted by the spiracle; in female apparently with only four bristles. Metanotum with two rows of bristles of about five each, those in caudal row much longer. Male with an apical spinelet on flange, female with two. Lateral metanotal area (supraepisternum of authors) subquadrate, with two bristles at caudal margin. Metepisternum with a bristle at caudal margin near dorsal third. Mete- pimeron in male with five bristles arranged 2-2-1; seven bristles, irregularly arranged, in female. Legs. — Femora with one mesal bristle but no lateral ones. Most of dorso-lateral bristles of tibiae paired. A pair of unequal long bristles at latero- ventral angle of tibiae; immediately proximad a pair of very much smaller bristles. Proportionate measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 153 35 57 44 44 118 Meso- 259 102 99 70 57 118 Meta- 345 272 163 115 70 131 None of tarsal bristles reaching beyond apex of following segment, most not extending beyond three-fourths. Blade of unguis somewhat more than twice the length of the thickened recurved basal portion. Abdomen. — Abdominal terga on each side typically with about four small bristles in cephalic row and five or six long bristles in caudal row, the most ventral bristle inserted just ventro-caudad of spiracle. First tergum of male with one apical tooth or spinelet, second and third with two teeth, and fourth with one; female with tergal teeth 1-2-1-1. Both 62 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 sexes with one bristle on basal sternum and with sterna three to six with a row of three or four bristles. Male with three antepygidial bristles (pi. 36, fig. 2, A.B.), but the dorsal one greatly reduced. Ventral bristle somewhat less than half of middle one. Female with middle antepygidial bristle (pi. 37, fig. 3, A.B.) probably approximately twice the length of the others (broken off in allotype). Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 36, fig. 2). — Seventh sternum truncate, with three bristles. Eighth sternum (8 S. and pi. 37, fig. 2) reduced, narrow, truncate apically, spiculose and with delicate, marginal, frayed micro-extensions; a lateral, ciliated and frayed membranous flap extending far caudad. X-gland of Wagner (X.G.) conspicuous near base of eighth sternum. Eighth tergum (pi. 36, fig. 4) large, spiculose near dorso-cephalic angle, with six dorso-marginal and four dorso-median bristles, and three bristles near ventro- caudal margin. Immovable process of clasper (pi. 36, fig. 2, P. and pi. 37, fig. 5) broad; apically an obtuse cone with three small apical bristles; caudal margin running ventro- caudad in a straight line to insertion of antepygidial bristle just ventrad of midpoint, and then curving ventro-cephalad ; a slight sinus ventrad of the two long acetabular bristles. A well-developed concave sclerotization on immovable process of clasper, the sinus facing caudad, the process therefore appearing narrow. Movable finger (F. and pi. 37, fig. 5) large, cephalo-caudad diameter (at level of second most ventral spiniform) as long as maxi- mum height (dorso-ventral diameter) ; cephalic margin angulate and with two thin, small, marginal bristles; dorsal margin rounded and with three small marginal bristles; caudal margin rounded except for slight crenulations near spiniforms; ventral margin shallow! v arcuate, the sinus ventrad; a long marginal mesal bristle at dorso-caudal angle; a mesa* submarginal, short, thick spiniform near base of above bristle; four similar mesal spiniforms along ventral half of caudal margin; and with three or four scattered, small, median, thin bristles. Manubrium (MB.) relatively short and thick, less than twice as long as wide near base, and almost as wide at base as the apodeme of ninth tergum, which forms apparent dorso-proximal portion of clasper lobe; with an apical thumb-like projection. Ninth tergum apparently reduced to a very narrow area between its apodeme (T.AP.9) and clasper lobe. Subpygidial sclerite of Wagner conspicuous, median, shaped like a flattened discoid seen on end, lying at 45 degree angle with the longitudinal axis of the body. Ninth sternum large, U-shaped, its proximal arm (P.A. 9) well sclerotized, of same width throughout, apically rounded. Trough slightly wider than proximal arm and bearing a long apodemal rod (AP.R.). Distal arm (D.A. 9 and pi. 36, fig. 3) very wide, about four times as wide as proximal arm ; apically bilobed, each lobe conspicuous. Apical lobe of distal arm wide, dorso-ventral dimension about three-quarters of cephalo-caudal dimension ; dorsal margin shallowly sinuate; caudal margin rounded; marginal bristles at cephalo-dorsal angle, dorso-caudal portion, and ventral margin, and more than twenty scattered median bristles. Proximal lobe of distal arm with length and height in above ratio; a conspicuous marginal subapical spiniform, a more cephalic bristle and another more ventral bristle; a slight sinus at ventro-caudal angle; a bristle on ventral margin. Aedeagal apodeme (pi. 37, fig. 4, AE.A.) elongate, portion cephalad of apodemal strut about seven times as long as apodeme is broad at maximum; sides subparallel and produced into a short, thumb-like process; middle plate of apodeme deeply concave near apodemal strut. Lateral apodemal plates produced into dorsal spurs and extending ventrad and distad of spur to near apex of median dorsal lobe. True accessory lateral lobes absent. Wall of aedeagal pouch (P.W.) arising at level of proximal spur (P.S.); well sclerotized, simulating the lateral lobes, strongly convex and extending to apodemal strut. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) with dorsal margin shallowly convex, apically angled and acuminate. True lateral lobes undeveloped; apparently restricted to a semimembranous area near base of crochets. Crochets (CR.) beak-shaped, base not visible in cleared specimens. Sclerotized inner tube vertical, apically expanded and concave, its armature (A.I.T.) represented only TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 63 by lateral thickenings. A narrow sclerotized band of the inner tube (B.I.T.) extending distad of concave apex ; easily confused with vermiform sclerotization of distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9). Apodemal strut (AP.S.) consisting of paired, curved, latero-ventral sclerites and acuminate mesal and dorsal sclerites. Penis rods (P.R.) long but not coiled. Ventral intramural rod well developed. Tenth abdominal segment conspicuous; sensilium relatively flat; dorsal lobe of proc tiger with small bristles on dorsal margin and a longer one at apex, spiculose, with a small delicate filamentous tufted process at dorso-caudal angle, near sensilium; ventral lobe of proctiger with an apical crown of longish thin bristles. Proximal ventral sclerite of tenth segment (sub-anal sclerite of Wagner) indistinct, oblong, long. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 37, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) with dorso-caudal margin slightly sinuate and with a narrow caudal sinus; with a row of five large bristles preceded by two very small ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with about seven small bristles cephalad to spiracle, two long bristles ventrad to sensilium, three ventro-cephalad of ventral anal lobe, and seven marginal bristles, as shown in figure; in addition, two mesal, stouter, shorter bristles near ventro-caudal margin. Eighth sternum narrow, without bristles. Dorsal anal lobe (tenth tergum of authors) with about 12 small scattered bristles, some marginal, and a group of five bristles near insertion of anal stylet. Anal stylet (pi. 37, fig. 1) about three times as long as wide at maximum, with a very short dorsal subapical bristle; middle bristle about the length of ventral one. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L.) marginally strongly sclerotized, angulate, with four short stout marginal bristles, two long subapical ones and about four very small submarginal bristles. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 37, fig. 6) with head subovate; dorsal and ventral margins slightly convex; tail angled, almost as long as head, and with an accessory sclerotized cap. Holotype. — A male from the State of Nuevo Leon, near the municipality of Villa Santiago, Mexico. Collected June, 1940, by Harry Hoogstraal and Kenneth L. Knight. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: "tree squirrel." Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratype. — A male, same data as the holotype. In the collection of Robert Traub. Remarks. — The species is named for my good friend Dr. H. S. Fuller, a lead- ing student of ectoparasites. Polygenis adocetus sp. nov. Plates 38, figs. 1-5; 39, figs. 1, 3-6. Near P. gwyni (C. Fox 1914) (=sigmodoni Stewart 1930; synonymy con- firmed by Dr. K. Jordan, in litt.), but separated as follows: Labial palpi reaching beyond apex of procoxae. Immovable process of clasper with more distal acetabular bristle definitely longer than movable finger, instead of subequal. Movable finger broader, about five and one-half, not six times as long as broad at maximum; with some caudo-marginal bristles longer than finger is broad, not with these bristles shorter than finger is broad. Male ninth sternum with heel more produced, extending as a short acuminate projection ; bristles of distal arm extending well proximad of midpoint, not merely to it, and bristles longer than in gwyni. Male eighth sternum ventrally divided proximad nearly half way to bristles, much more deeply than in gwyni. Crochets with sclerotized portion proximally broader and shorter (cf. pi. 39, figs. 1 and 2, CR.}. Female basal abdominal sternum with more than 22 lateral bristles on each side, instead 64 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 of fewer than 20. Female eighth tergum with long bristles in a vertical row that is interrupted dorsad of ventral margin, not continuous. Separated from P. riinatus Jordan 1932 by the aedeagal structure and details of genitalia, and, in addition, the following: upper acetabular bristle much longer; apical arm of male ninth sternum much narrower; division of male eighth sternum extending more proximad; female basal abdominal sternum with more than 23 lateral bristles, not fewer than 20; hind tibia with a lateral naked space between subdorsal and subventral bristles from base to apex, this space absent in rimatus; fewer bristles on female eighth sternum from spiracle ventrad. Male and Female: Head (pi. 38, fig. 1, male). — Fronto-clypeal margin rounded except for prominent acuminate dorsad-directed tubercle inserted slightly above level of eye and arising from a large subovate sclerotized area. Preantennal region with three rows of bristles arranged 4(uppermost longest) -3 (very long) -2 (uppermost inserted caudad of eye). Eye conspicuous, broad but subovate; genal process broad, becoming acuminate. Maxillary lobe extending to the apex of the third segment of the maxillary palpus. Maxillary laciniae narrow, less than one-fourth the diameter of the five-segmented labial palpi (L.P.), both structures extending to about apex of fore-trochanters. Scape of antenna twice or more length of second segment, with three rows of small hairs and additional marginal hairs. Second antennal segment with small hairs on ventral and dorsal margins, but not on caudal (apical) margin. Antennal club asymmetrical, with proximal segment dorsally expanded, others broader ventrally. A row of short though fairly broad bristles dorsad of antennal groove; bristle bases contiguous. Postantennal region with three rows of bristles arranged 4-4 (5) -5 (6); small hairs interpolated between bases of those of last row. Thorax. — Pro- and mesonotum with two rows of bristles, metanotum with three, but first row incomplete, with small hairs interpolated between the bases of the caudal rows. Metanotal flange with five or six apical small teeth, suggesting spinelets, on each side. Mesepisternum (MPS.) typically with two subcaudal bristles near midpoint; sometimes with an additional subventral small bristle. Mesepimeron (MPM.) with three bristles, two submedian and one at ventro-caudal angle. Lateral metanotal area well developed, with two to five small subventral bristles; a long bristle at dorso-caudal angle, another (sometimes two) at ventro-caudal angle. Metepisternum with a bristle at dorso-caudal angle; divided into two by a diagonal sclerotization extending from cephalo- ventral angle to dorso-caudal angle. Metepimeron with two rows of bristles arranged 6-5. Legs. — Profemora with about thirteen small scattered nonmarginal lateral bristles and one mesal bristle. Meso- and metafemora with a lateral row of about eight small thin bristles and two mesal rows of five and six bristles. Metatibiae with a lateral naked space between subdorsal and subventral bristle extending from base to apex. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 172 53 55 48 38 118 Meso- 259 64 102 65 37 122 Meta- 368 211 147 99 48 135 Metatarsal segments two and three with an apical bristle extending distad of following segment. Other tarsal segments with shorter apical bristles. Distal tarsal segments with three pairs of long lateral plantar bristles, a fourth pair of shorter lateral plantar bristles, and an apical submedian pair subequal in size. Blade of unguis long and narrow, about three times as long as recurved basal portion. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 65 Abdomen. — First tergum with two rows of bristles. Males usually with five or six apical teeth on each side of first tergum; second, third and fourth terga with two such teeth. Female with tergal teeth usually arranged 4-2(l)-l-0. Caudal row of bristles on abdominal segments two to six much longer than preceding row and extending somewhat ventrad of spiracles. Male basal sternum with about eight small submedian bristles; sterna three to six with about six bristles on each side preceded on third sternum by two or three small ones. Female basal sternum on each side with about twenty-two or more bristles, of which about eight or ten are longer, more caudal, and often in a vertical row; sternum three usually with three to five small bristles preceding a row of about sixteen longer ones; sterna four to six with about six to nine bristles on each side. Only one antepygidial bristle developed in each sex, others at most vestigial. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 38, fig. 2). — Eighth tergum extremely reduced, represented only as a narrow short sclerite supporting its spiracle and bordering the sensilium; its margins inapparent. Eighth sternum (8 S.) very large, covering much of the genitalia, and extending from spiracle of eighth segment to ventral margin and apicad of insertion of movable finger; about four subventral lateral bristles. Immovable process of clasper (P. and pi. 38, fig. 3) very large, dorsal margin about as long as movable finger, extending slightly distad of movable finger; dorsal margin slightly concave, caudal margin fairly straight; about twenty dorsal or dorsal marginal or submarginal bristles, two or three of these as long as the apical bristle; two long subdorsal bristles; a very long acetabular bristle, much longer than movable finger, inserted at ventral fourth; at times an accessory, much shorter and thinner, acetabular bristle inserted slightly dorsad of the long one; true second acetabular bristle inserted well ventrad, slightly longer than movable finger is broad; a sinus on ventral margin; about eight or nine short thin sub- ventral and ventro-marginal mesal bristles. Movable finger (F. and pi. 38, fig. 3) about five times as long as broad at level of acetabular bristle; cephalic margin with apical three- fourths shallowly concave, with two or three short thin marginal bristles on apical half; caudal margin slightly convex and with thin marginal and apical bristles, the longest bristles distad of midpoint and only slightly longer than finger is broad. Manubrium (MB.) long and narrow, much longer than margin of tergal apodeme of ninth segment (T.AP.9), which forms dorso-proximal portion of clasper lobe and which is markedly convex subdorsally; slightly expanded apically. Ninth tergum apparently greatly reduced to a narrow indefinite area between its apodeme and clasper lobe. Ninth sternum very well sclerotized, boomerang-shaped. Proximal arm (P. A. 9) about as long as distal arm; sclerotized portion ventrally concave, distally broad and bluntly rounded. Distal arm (D.A.9 and pi. 38, fig. 4) produced slightly at heel, narrowed proximad of midpoint; morphologically dorsal (apparently cephalic) margin almost straight; apex somewhat rounded and with two short bristles; ventral margin slightly convex and bearing about fifteen long bristles, some mesal, the most proximal inserted at proximal fifth; three or four submedian mesal long bristles near apical fourth. Aedeagal apodeme slightly longer than aedeagus proper, consisting of two apically rounded lateral plates (pi. 38, fig. 5, L.PT.) forming the mantle of Jordan (1939), and a middle plate (MI. P.) (the lamina of Jordan). Lateral plates free ventrally for most of their lengths, but more strongly sclerotized proximo-ventrad and then curving ventrad, joining, and producing a cephalad-directed extension, the heel of Jordan (HL.), from which arises a long narrow rod, probably a homologue of the aedeagal apodemal rod. Aedeagus with two dorso-apical flaps, resembling a cleft hood, here designated the hood flaps (pi. 38, fig. 5, and pi. 39, fig. 1, H.F.) (hood of Jordan), which partially enclose and extend apicad of the rounded convex median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) ; apically rounded, proximally curved, acumi- nate. Lateral lobes (L.L.) very long, apparently arising from the heel and extending apicad to the level of the apex of the median dorsal lobe. Crochets (CR.) reduced much less than 66 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 half of diameter of aedeagus, the sclerotized portion subcordate in lateral aspect. Associated with crochets are a pair of prominent curved processes bearing minute spicules, here desig- nated the crochet processes (CR.P.). The sclerotic inner tube elongate, consisting of two distinct sclerites: a strongly sclerotized basal portion (I.T.-B.) (basal segment of penis tube of Jordan) and a narrow apical portion (I.T.-A.) (apical portion of penis tube of Jordan); in lateral aspect the basal portion bears a ventral sinus and two rounded ventro-apical thickenings. Armature of inner tube not developed. The remarkable penis rods enter the aedeagus through a dilated structure called by Jordan the vesicle (V.), then extend through the inner tube and are apically prominently looped under the hood folds. Only one penis rod (P.R.) extending cephalad of apex of aedeagal apodeme, and that slightly, second rod much shorter; at times one of the intramural rods can be seen as a very short rod extending from near vesicle. Endchamber with a conspicuous sclerotized tube here designated the pseudotube (PS.T.) because of possible confusion with inner tube; pseudotube at times extending distad of the apex, with dorsal margin short, not extending beyond hood flaps, and with ventral margin extending proximad to below vesicle. Apodemal strut supporting inner tube consisting of a broad lobe (L.S.) arising from middle plate, curving ventrad, then caudad. This is believed to be the latero-ventral sclerite of other families of fleas. Sim- ilarly, the narrow sclerite (C.S.), roofing what Jordan terms the cavity (and which I believe is homologous with what Sharif [1946] considers to be a sperm-pumping organ in Cteno- cepkalides), is considered the crescent sclerite. The mesal lobe of the apodemal strut of many non-Rhopalopsylline fleas is apparently represented by a dark mass dorsad of the latero- ventral sclerite. A lateral spindle-shaped sclerite, here designated the side-piece, arises on each side from near vesicle. The resemblance of the aedeagus to that of P. gwyni (pi. 38, fig. 6, and pi. 39, fig. 2) is interesting. Tenth abdominal segment conspicuous, with sensilium somewhat convex. Dorsal lobe of proctiger well sclerotized, caudad of sensilium and extending as far dorsad; subconical, with about six thin apical bristles. Ventral lobe of proctiger similar to dorsal, but more conical, slightly more ventral. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 39, fig. 3). — Seventh sternum (7 S.) dorso- caudally concave and caudally convex, with a curved row of about seven or eight bristles. Eighth tergum (8 T.) with a row of bristles extending from dorsum to near ventral border but interrupted subventrally, with many marginal and submarginal bristles, some mesal, arranged as in figure. Dorsal anal lobe (D.A.L.) with a few scattered short thin bristles and a marginal row of five or six. Anal stylet (A. S. and pi. 39, fig. 6) about two and a half times as long as broad base, with a long apical bristle and one or two tiny ventral and 'or subapical bristles. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L. and pi. 39, fig. 5) angulate, broad, about three-fourths as broad as long, with about four long caudo-marginal bristles and two adjacent submarginal bristles, one of which is short, the other long; four bristles near apex of dorsal margin. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 39, fig. 4) with dorsal margin strongly arched or humped, extending almost as far dorsad as apex of tail; more than three-fourths as broad as long; tail broad, more than a third as broad as long, somewhat shorter than head. Holotype. — A male from Acahuato, at 1,000 feet altitude (near Apatzingan), State of Michoacan, Mexico; collected July 21, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: CUellus adocetus Merriam. AUotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Four males and eight females, same data as the holotype; six males and seven females, same host and locality as the holotype, collected July 30, 1941, by Ralph Haag and Frank Wonder; three females, same locality and host as the holotype, collected August, 1940, by Harry Hoogstraal. In the collections of the United States National Museum, the Rocky Mountain Labora- TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 67 tory (Hamilton, Montana), the Dominion Entomological Laboratory (Kamloops, British Columbia), the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Cornell University, the British Museum (Natural History), the Caucasus Para- sitological Laboratory at Stavropol, U.S.S.R., and Robert Traub and others. Remarks. — I am much indebted to Dr. Karl Jordan for aiding in the diagnosis of this species. The specific name is suggestive of Citellus adocetus, the only known host. Family HYSTRICHOPSYLLIDAE NOTES ON THE GENUS CTENOPHTHALMUS IN NORTH AMERICA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES Although the genus Ctenophthalmus Kolenati (sens, lat.) is represented in the Old World by more than seventy species, to date only one species —C. pseu- dagyrtes Baker 1904 — has been described from the New World. A very wide range has been reported for this species; it is found from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. Three new species from Mexico and Central America and a new subspecies of C. pseudagyrtes from Mexico are described below. A redefinition of the genus is considered pertinent and is presented first. Genus CTENOPHTHALMUS Kolenati Genotype: Ctenophthalmus bisoctodentatus Kolenati 1863. Ctenophthalmus Kolenati, Die Parasiten der Chiropteren, p. 33, 1856. Ctenophthalmus, I. Fox, Fleas of Eastern U. S., p. 34, 1940. Ctenophthalmus, Wagner, Zeitschr. f. Parasitenk., 11, pp. 593-606, 1940. Ctenophthalmus, Jellison and Good, Bull. Nat. Inst. Health, 178, p. 46, 1942. Ctenophthalmus, Ewing and Fox, Misc. Publ. U. S. Dept. Agric., 500, p. 82, 1943. Ctenophthalmus, Hubbard, Fleas W. N. Amer., p. 343, 1947. Fronto-clypeal tubercle prominent. Preantennal region with two rows of bristles. Interantennal groove not fully separating pre- and postantennal regions, but thickened. Eye reduced. Genal ctenidium horizontal, of three spines. Trabecula centralis • absent. Antennal bristles much shorter than club. Labial palpi not extending distad of procoxae; apical segment with a relatively curved distal bristle. Pronotal ctenidium with a total of about fourteen or sixteen spines. Profemora lacking small submedian lateral bristles but with one such mesal bristle. Meso- and metafemora lacking small mesal bristles. Distal segment of foretarsi and midtarsi with four pairs of lateral plantar bristles and a proximal and a distal submedian pair. Distal segment of hindtarsi usually with but three pairs of lateral plantar bristles and similar proximal and distal submedian pairs, but at times with four lateral pairs. With three antepygidial bristles on each side. Male eighth tergum relatively reduced, not extending caudad of claspers. Male eighth sternum very well de- veloped, extending caudad of apex of ninth sternum, and well dorsad of base of movable finger. Only one or no acetabular bristle present, inserted distad of base of movable finger. Movable finger without spiniforms. Angle of male ninth sternum lacking an apodemal rod ; distal arm simple, unlobed, without spiniforms. Aedeagal apodeme long and narrow; lateral plates longer than middle, each bent and arched dorsad into a sail (pi. 40, fig. 3, S.), the sails almost contiguous, not extending distad. 68 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 Apical appendage and proximal spur absent. Base of aedeagal pouch encircling aedeagal apodeme at level of middle of sail as a somewhat sclerotized girdle (G.), extending caudad as a keel (K.). Lateral lobes (L.L.) proximally narrow, not covering penis rods. Median dorsal lobe arched, apically paired and with distinct apical sclerites. Crescent sclerite (C.S.) relatively long, longer than lateral ventral sclerite (L.S.) of apodemal strut. Apodemal strut consisting of three sclerites. Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) reduced. Sclerotization of sheath of inner tube appearing as dorsal and ventral elongate subtriangular sclerites (D.S.I., V.S.I.). Apex of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.S.I.) open, not extending distad of lateral lobes. Apodemal rod arising among the two penis rods. Penis rods uncoiled. Female with ventral anal lobe lacking stout short recurved bristles; usually with four long bristles. Spermatheca with head longer than broad. Discussion. — The genus Ctenophthalrmis has been variously placed in the Hystrichopsyllidae and in the Ceratophyllidae (Dolichopsyllidae) on morpho- logical grounds other than the structure of the aedeagus and of the male eighth segment. In my opinion, the following are arguments against affinities with the true ceratophyllids: the proximal origin of the aedeagal pouch; the presence of the girdle and keel of the aedeagus; the short crochets; the horizontal sclerotic inner tube; the absence of an apodemal rod on the ninth sternum; the absence of the two typical acetabular bristles; the reduction of the male eighth tergum and the hyperdevelopment of the male eighth sternum; the shape and chaeto- taxy of the female ventral anal lobe. Ctenophthalmus haagi sp. nov. Plate 40. Near C. pseudagyrtes Baker 1904 but separated as follows: Process P2 of immovable clasper (pi. 40, fig. 11) narrower, definitely narrower than Pi at level of third long marginal bristle, not subequal (pi. 43, fig. 1). Acetabular bristle inserted far proximad of P2, instead of near base of P2. Eighth sternum of male with ten or eleven bristles (pi. 40, fig. 2), not six or seven (pi. 43, fig. 2). Distal arm of ninth sternum (pi. 40, fig. 6) broader and with more subdorsal bristles (cf. pi. 43, fig. 6). Crochets (pi. 40, fig. 5, CR.) almost as broad as long, apically obtuse, instead of definitely longer than broad (pi. 43, fig. 5, CR.). Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.} biconvex, not developed into a thumb-like projection (pi. 43, fig. 5, A.I.T.). Female seventh sternum (pi. 40, fig. 7, 7 S.) slightly sinuate, instead of definitely biconvex, with the lobes very large (pi. 43, fig. 4). Male and Female: Head (pi. 40, fig. 1, male). — Fronto-clypeal margin evenly rounded; tubercle median, prominent. Preantennal region with two rows of bristles, the first of five or six bristles, the second of three longer bristles. First spine of genal ctenidium more acu- minate than second; second partially overlapping third at base; third spine longest and most acuminate. Genal process extending almost as far distad as ultimate spine, apically sub- rounded. Maxillary lobe (MX.) extending to middle of third segment of five-segmented labial palpi (L.P.), which in turn almost reach apices of procoxae. Row of very small bristles dorsad of antennal club in female extending caudad of fossa; not curving ventrad in male. Postantennal region with bristles arranged 2-3-4, the ultimate row the longest. Thorax. — Five long bristles preceding the eight ctenidial spines on each side. Meso- notum with four rows of bristles, those of the first two very short and thin, those of the TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 69 ultimate row the longest. Metanotum with two rows of bristles, those of the ultimate row the longest. Mesepisternum (MPS.) with two bristles near ventro-caudal angle. Mese- pimeron (MPM.) with five bristles arranged 3-2. Lateral metanotal area well developed, subquadrate, with two (or three) bristles near dorso-caudal angle. Metepisternum with a caudo-marginal bristle. Metepimeron with five bristles arranged 2-3. Legs. — All femora lacking small thin lateral submedian bristle. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 115 45 45 40 32 67 Meso- 180 69 45 48 35 72 Meta- 237 186 128 85 50 82 Second segment of metatarsus often with apical bristle reaching slightly distad of apex of following segment. All other tarsal segments with apical bristles not reaching apex of follow- ing segment. Hindtarsi with three pairs of lateral plantar bristles and a proximal and a distal submedian pair. Blade of unguis about twice the length of thickened recurved basal portion. Abdomen. — First tergum with three rows of bristles, the first row very incomplete. Male with an apical very small tooth on each of first four terga; female with apical teeth arranged 1-1-1-0. Second row of bristles extending slightly ventrad of the lanceolate spiracles. An incomplete accessory row of small bristles on some terga. Male sterna three to six with three subventral bristles, preceded by one smaller one; female with bristles arranged 2-4. Male with middle antepygidial bristle (pi. 40, fig. 4, A.B.) more than twice the length of dorsal and ventral ones. Female (pi. 40, fig. 7, A.B.) with middle bristle twice the length of dorsal bristle, ventral bristle somewhat longer than dorsal. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 40, fig. 4) . — Eighth sternum with about eleven bristles arranged as in pi. 40, fig. 2. Immovable process of clasper divided by a prominent sinus into two lobes (Pi and P2 and pi. 40, fig. 11). Pi and P2 subequal in length; P2 slightly narrower. Immovable process with a subdorsal bristle, two subapical fairly long bristles and two caudo-marginal very long bristles on Pi; another very long marginal bristle at the depth of the sinus. Acetabular bristle inserted at the midpoint of the caudal margin of the immovable process. Movable finger (pi. 40, figs. 4 and 11, F.) for most of its length narrower than the immovable process and extending distad twice as far; margins subparallel except for even curve at cephalo-apical angle and at proximo-caudal angle; a row of about eight short bristles bordering cephalo-apical margin and three longer caudo-apical marginal bristles; four longer bristles slightly apicad of midpoint of caudal margin. Manubrium (MB.) broad, curved, short, about equal in length to distance from base of F. to cephalic margin of tergal apodeme of ninth tergum, which forms the dorso-proximal portion of clasper lobe. Proximal arm of ninth sternum (P.A.9) about equal in length to distal arm (D.A.9) and with apical portion expanded; biconcave ventrally and apically slightly acumi- nate. Distal arm (pi. 40, fig. 6) proximally slightly more narrowed than apically, with an apico-ventral fringe of about seven long bristles, and with about twelve small thin scattered lateral bristles, two more marginal and subapical. Aedeagal apodeme (AE.A., pi. 40, fig. 3) with lateral plates bent and arched dorsad slightly proximad of midpoint of apodeme, the resulting sail (S.) sclerotized and sinuate, almost contiguous. Base of aedeagal pouch sclerotized as a girdle (G.) and encircling aedeagal apodeme at about level of sail. Lateral lobes (L.L.) arising as a sclerotized line, more feeble apically and curving dorsad at level of caudal margin of crochets. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) convex, apically sclerotized and with a recurved apical sclerite (A.M.S.) on each side. Crochets (CR.) very broad, almost as broad as long; base narrowed and well sclerotized ; 70 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 cephalic margin angled, straight proximad of angle, concave apicad; caudal margin strongly convex; apex a blunt lobe. Ventral sclerotization of sheath of inner tube (V.S.I., pi. 40, fig. 5) not extending as far distad as dorsal sclerotization (D.S.I.), both acuminate apically. Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) biconvex, the apical extension some- what pointed. Apodemal strut supporting inner tube consisting of a dorsal, convex, apically truncate lobe (D.S.), a lateral ventral curved lobe (L.S.) and a mesal narrow lobe (M.S.), which is partially covered by the lateral ventral lobe. The elongate crescent sclerite (C.S.) extending from base of dorsal lobe of apodemal strut to base of dorsal sclerotization of inner tube. Ventral intramural rod of endophallus (/./?.) sclerotized, extending cephalad almost as far as does the apodemal rod, which in turn arises among the penis rods and extends cephalad of apex of aedeagal apodeme. Sensilium relatively flat. Dorsal lobe of proctiger long and narrow, with rows of thin small bristles and a long subapical one. Ventral lobe of proctiger broader than dorsal lobe, with two long apical bristles. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 40, fig. 7). — Caudal margin of seventh sternum (7 S.) with a broad shallow sinus on dorsal part; curving ventro-cephalad at ventral fifth. Seventh sternum with a row of six or seven long bristles, preceded by four or five much smaller ones. Eighth tergum (8 T.) without any long bristles ventrad of sensilium and without true caudo-marginal bristles; six long ventral submarginal lateral bristles, a similar bristle more dorsal, and two or three small thin ventro-median bristles; four or five very short thin mesal bristles ventrad to ventral anal lobe. Eighth sternum (8 S.) rec- tangular, feebly sclerotized, with an apical tuft of five or six tiny bristles. Dorsal anal lobe (D.A.L.) with small dorso-marginal bristles and a longer ventral subapical bristle. Anal stylet (pi. 40, fig. 9) about three times as long as broad at base, with a long apical bristle and very much shorter subapical dorsal and ventral bristles. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L. and pi. 40, fig. 10) with ventral margin convex; two marginal straight bristles near height of convexity and two much longer subapical ones; apex extended as an acuminate projection. Spermatheca (SP. and pi. 40, fig. 8) with head subovate, almost twice as long as broad at maximum, and with dorsal and ventral margins subparallel; tail about half as broad as head and more than half as long. Bursa copulatrix (B.C.) with apex subglobose. Holotype. — A male from Mount Tancftaro, at 7,800 to 10,500 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancitaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico. Collected July, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Microtus mexicamis phaeus Merriam. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Four males and seven females, same data as the holotype; one male, same collector and locality as the holotype, collected at 11,000 feet altitude from Peromyscus melanotis Allen and Chapman. In the collections of the United States National Museum, the Rocky Mountain Laboratory (Hamilton, Montana), the San Francisco Plague Laboratory, the British Museum (Natural History), and Robert Traub. Remarks. — I take great pleasure in naming this species for Ralph Haag, entomologist with the Fourth Hoogstraal Biological Expedition to Mexico, who generously co-operated in the collection of host mammals. Ctenophthalmus expansus sp. nov. Plate 41. Near C. haagi sp. nov. and C. pseudagyrtes Baker 1904 but very distinct in that the distal segment of the hindtarsus has four pairs of lateral plantar bristles, TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 71 not three, and also distinct in the shape of the movable finger, details of im- movable process and of the aedeagus. Movable finger (F., pi. 41, fig. 2) greatly expanded; cephalic margin biconvex, and middle of caudal margin strongly convex, instead of having cephalic margin fairly straight and proximally broad (pi. 40, fig. 11 and pi. 43, fig. 1). Process P2 of immovable clasper lacking acetabular bristle, subtruncate and much broader than Pi, instead of P2 and Pi being at most subequal and possessing an acetabular bristle. Armature of inner tube (pi. 41, fig. 5, A.I.T.) and base of crochet (CR.) extending dorsad of crescent sclerite (C.S.), not merely to half its height (pi. 40, fig. 5). Crochet very feebly sclerotized except at base, unlike the other species. Only the male of this in- teresting species is known. The following description stresses differences be- tween haagi and expansus. Labial palpi slightly less than three-fourths of length of procoxae. Pronotal ctenidium with a total of fourteen spines. Metepimeron with six bristles. Measurements of tibiae and segments of tarsi: / LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 144 45 48 43 35 75 Meso- 214 72 67 53 42 83 Meta- 300 220 141 83 58 87 Distal segment of hindtarsus (like those of other legs) with four lateral plantar bristles in addition to a submedian proximal and a submedian distal pair. Antepygidial bristles broken in unique specimen. Eighth sternum (pi. 41, fig. 1) with nine bristles arranged 2-4-3. Immovable process of clasper divided by a sinus into two lobes, Pi and P2 (pi. 41, fig. 2). Process Pi rounded, with a proximal sclerotization near cephalic margin, and with apparently three very long latero-median bristles (one missing in unique specimen) and four much smaller apical or subapical bristles. The sinus between Pi and P2 as broad as Pi. Process P2 truncate, with lateral margins straight, more than one and one-half times as broad as Pi measured at level of second very long bristle; a very small bristle at cephalo-apical angle. Immovable process lacking an acetabular bristle; caudal margin straight to base of movable finger, then angled ventro-caudad. Movable finger (F.) somewhat gourd -shaped ; base narrowed with margins curved and parallel; flaring below level of apex of P2 and becoming greatly expanded to almost twice the diameter of P2, then narrowing rapidly. Cephalic margin of movable finger thus biconvex, with nine short thin marginal bristles on apical half. Caudal margin with one submarginal and three thin marginal bristles near midpoint and three thin bristles near apex, apical two longest. A few mesal and lateral median bristles as in figure. Distal arm of ninth sternum (pi. 41, fig. 3) very similar to that of haagi but with fewer bristles — an apico-ventral fringe of about five bristles, five submedian bristles and three small subapical ones. Aedeagus (pi. 41, figs. 4 and 5) and aedeagal apodeme of much the same type as that of haagi, but with significant differences. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) strongly convex dorsad of crescent sclerite. Apical medio-dorsal sclerites (A.M. S.) lunar and oblique. Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) developed as a conspicuous curved thumb-like projection extending dorsad to level of height of crescent sclerite (C.S.). Crochets (CR.) proximally well sclerotized but very feebly sclerotized for most of their length. Cephalic margin concave, caudal margins convex. Lateral lobes (L.L.) weakly sclerotized, extending disto-dorsad to base of sclerotized portion of median dorsal lobe. Sclerotized 72 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 portion of intramural rod not extending cephalad to base of keel (K.). Dorsal lobe of apo- demal strut (D.S.) apically acuminate. Holotype. — A unique male from Mount Tancftaro, at 7,800 feet altitude, near the municipality of Tancftaro, State of Michoacan, Mexico. Collected July 5, 1941, by Robert Traub. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Reithrodontomys c. chrysopsis Merriam, a harvest mouse. Remarks. — The name is suggestive of the greatly expanded movable finger as well as of the dilated endchamber of the aedeagus. Ctenophthalmus sanborni sp. nov. Plate 42. Near haagi sp. nov. and pseudagyrtes Baker, but separated as follows: Labial palpi only about three-fourths of length of (not subequal to) procoxae. Movable finger (pi. 42, fig. 6) with cephalic margin apically more convex, apex more acuminate (cf. pi. 40, fig. 11, and pi. 43, fig. 1). Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (pi. 42, fig. 5, A.I.T.) reduced, not markedly thumb-like (pi. 40, fig. 5, and pi. 43, fig. 5, A.I.T.). Crochets (pi. 42, fig. 5, CR.) about twice as long as broad, of almost uniform breadth throughout and slightly dilated at apex instead of being almost as broad as long (pi. 40, fig. 5) or apically narrowed (pi. 43, fig. 5). Ventro-caudal angle of lateral lobes of aedeagus sinuate, slightly acuminate (pi. 42, fig. 5, L.L.), not rounded or pointed (pi. 40, fig. 5, and pi. 43, fig. 5). Ninth sternum of male with only one or two small ventral subapical bristles, not four or jive. Further separated from haagi in that process P2 (pi. 42, fig. 6) of immovable clasper extends distad of Pi, the acetabular bristle is inserted at the base of P2 (not far proximad), and the female seventh sternum is definitely bilobed (pi. 42, fig. 9, 7 £.). In the following description differences from haagi are stressed. Pronotal ctenidium with a total of about fourteen spines. Measurements of male tibiae and segments of tarsi: LEG TIBIA TARSAL SEGMENTS 12345 Pro- 122 44 42 35 34 72 Meso- 189 67 61 45 37 73 Meta- 256 198 138 83 42 89 Female sterna three to six with four or five bristles preceded by two or three smaller ones. Modified Abdominal Segments: Male (pi. 42, fig. 2). — Eighth sternum with about nine long bristles arranged as in pi. 42, fig. 3. Process P2 extending slightly more distad than Pi (pi. 42, fig. 6) and subequal in breadth; acetabular bristle inserted at level of base of P2. Movable finger (F.) with proximal margins subparallel; cephalic margin with a slight short convexity at level of acetabular bristle, another slight convexity at level of apex of P2, then a curve caudad, the curved portion with a fringe of about eight thin bristles; caudal margin fairly straight — but apical fifth slightly concave — with four bristles in two groups of two near midpoint and with an apical and two subapical bristles. Distal arm of ninth sternum (D.A.9 and pi. 42, fig. 7) as broad proximally as apically; three fairly long bristles on ventral half of apical margin, one or two smaller ventral subapical bristles, about five median ones, and three or four small bristles at apico-dorsal angle. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 73 Aedeagus (pi. 42, figs. 4 and 5) of same general type as that of haagi but with important differences. Girdle (G.) only weakly sclerotized. Lateral lobes (L.L.) proximally sclerotized, then becoming submembranous except for sinuate margin at ventro-caudal angle, here also produced into an apical tubercle. Crochets (CR.) well sclerotized, especially along cephalic margin, about twice as long as broad, distally somewhat broader than apically. Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) reduced, at most represented by a narrow thin sclerite. Modified Abdominal Segments: Female (pi. 42, fig. 9). — Caudal margin of seventh sternum (7 S.) divided by a conspicuous sinus into two broad, subequal, rounded lobes. Seventh sternum with a row of six or seven long bristles preceded by about two or three smaller ones. Ventral anal lobe (V.A.L. and pi. 42, fig. 11) with distance between bases of apical bristles equal to diameter of setal pits; apex produced caudad. Anal stylet (pi. 42, fig. 10) about four times as long as broad at base. Holotype. — A male from Santa Elena, at 10,000 feet altitude, Department of Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Collected January 26, 1934, by F. J. W. Schmidt on the Field Museum-Leon Mandel Expedition to Guatemala. In the collection of Chicago Natural History Museum. Host: Peromyscus guatemalensis Merriam. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Two pairs, same data as the holotype. A pair collected for the University of California in the Department of Chalatenango, El Salvador, March 24, 1942, by M. Hildebrand. In the collections of the United States National Museum and of Robert Traub. Host: Peromyscus sp. Remarks. — The species is named for Colin C. Sanborn, Curator of Mam- mals of Chicago Natural History Museum, who has co-operated greatly in the collecting of ectoparasites. Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes micropus subsp. nov. Plate 43, figs. 7-9. A series received through the co-operation of Dr. W. L. Jellison of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, United States Public Health Service, shows in- teresting modifications in the direction of C. haagi and sanborni. These speci- mens are described as a new subspecies. Near haagi and sanborni but with process P2 of clasper (pi. 43, fig. 7) narrower and extending more distad than in C. p. pseudagyrtes Baker 1904 (pi. 43, fig. 1). Movable finger (F.) longer and narrower, even at base. Aedeagus with crochet (pi. 43, fig. 8, CR.) broader at apex, not definitely narrowed (pi. 43, fig. 5, CR.). Armature of sclerotized sheath of inner tube (A.I.T.) broader at base, triangular, instead of being narrowed for most of its length. Lateral lobes (L.L.) not apically sclerotized to produce an angulate effect (cf. pi. 43, fig. 5). Distal arm of ninth sternum narrowed proximally (pi. 43, fig. 9). Female with seven or eight small bristles preceding the six long bristles of the seventh sternum (pi. 43, fig. 4), rather than about four or five, but otherwise similar. Holotype. — A male from Sabinas, State of Coahuila, Mexico. Collected January, 1944, by Dr. L. Mazzoti. In the collection of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory at Hamilton, Montana. Host: Neotoma micropus Baird. Allotype. — A female, same data and depository as the holotype. Paratypes. — Three males, same data as the holotype. In the collections of Chicago Natural History Museum and Robert Traub. 74 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 STREPSYLLA GEN. NOV. AND NOTES ON RELATED GENERA The literature on Siphonaptera is confusing regarding relationships between North American fleas of the genus Phalacropsylla Rothschild 1915 and the genera Neopsylla Wagner 1903, Catallagia Rothschild 1915, Meringis Jordan 1937, Epitedia Jordan 1938, Tamiophila Jordan 1938, and Delotelis Jordan 1937. In the original diagnoses the authors indicated that these genera were related. Nevertheless, the genus Catallagia has been placed in the family Ceratophyllidae (="Dolichopsyllidae") because it lacks the genal spines present in the other genera, while the remaining genera have usually been placed in the family Hystrichopsyllidae. The hystrichopsyllid genera have usually been separated into two subfamilies or tribes on the basis of the presence or absence of the frontal tubercle. It is my belief that the above genera are all closely related, despite the fact that some forms lack the frontal tubercle. The fundamental phylogenetic significance of the frontal tubercle is generally accepted, but in my opinion its absence does not necessarily indicate lack of relationship with fleas in which it is present. There is, in my collection, a series of Sternopsylla texana (C. Fox 1914) in which some specimens possess and others lack the tubercle. Jordan (1945) showed that a deciduous frontal tubercle is characteristic of seven genera of fleas in widely separated families. In Epitedia tieotomae Jameson 1946, the frontal tubercle is very reduced, hardly extending beyond the margin of the head. In all other respects, this species is a typical Epitedia. The concept that these genera are all closely related is based upon a funda- mental similarity in morphology, especially in the structure of the head and in the pattern of the male genitalia, particularly in the structure of the aedeagus and the shape and armature of the male ninth sternum. Thus, in these genera, the wall of the aedeagal pouch arises far cephalad of the apodemal strut and is very broad, while the ventral margin is well sclerotized. The third apodemal rod arises from the aedeagal pouch, not from the angle of the ninth sternum. The crochets are relatively reduced in length and do not extend far distad of the endchamber. The sclerotized inner tube is almost horizontal and is relatively unarmed. The lateral lobes arise from the dorsal and ventral walls of the proximal portion of the endchamber. It is shown elsewhere that these are characters of the type of aedeagus found in the Hystrichopsyllidae. It is my opinion that the general pattern of the male genitalia, including the structure of the aedeagus, is a character that indicates at least generic relationship, rather than a character that is largely only of subgeneric or specific value. I consider Catallagia to be merely an evolutionary development from Epitedia or Neopsylla in which the genal ctenidium has been lost. Jordan recognized the affinities ofCatattagia when he stated (1938) : " NeopsyUa-Epitedia- Catallagia are an interesting chain of genera." It is also probable that many of the species of these genera are essentially nest-inhabiting forms and as such show reduction in the development of the eye, the number of genal spines, and the chaetotaxy. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 75 Among the undescribed material collected by me in Mexico is a new genus that helps to clarify the relationship of Neopsylla, Meringis, Phalacropsylla, Epitedia, Tamiophila and Catallagia. This new genus not only shares cardinal characters of some of the genera discussed, but possesses some important distinc- tive features. STREPSYLLA gen. nov. Genotype: Strepsylla mina sp. nov. Frontal tubercle present. Genal ctenidium consisting of two overlapping spiniforms. Labial palpi extending distad of fore-trochanters. Metacoxae with a patch of mesal spine- lets. Longest apical bristle of third segment of metatarsus extending well distad of fourth. Proximal plantar bristles of fifth segment of metatarsus ventral. Cephalic abdominal terga with apical spinelets. Two (rarely three) antepygidial bristles in male, three in female. Sensilium somewhat convex caudally. Proximal ventral sclerite of tenth male abdominal segment with a filamentous tufted projection. Manubrium very narrow, curved or bent cephalad at apical fourth; finger without spiniforms. Ninth sternum of male with distal arm long and narrow, with an apical claw, and possessing a feebly sclerotized lateral expansion that bears a characteristic conspicuous spiniform curved like a twisted hook. Parameres of certain authors in reality lateral lobes of aedeagus. True crochets appearing as ventral lobes of aedeagus. Aedeagal pouch twice the breadth of aedeagal apodeme. Apical sclerites of sclerotized inner tube present. Apodemal rod arising from base of aedeagus. Anal stylet of female with a very small dorsal and a vestigial ventral bristle in addition to the long apical bristle. Discussion. — The accompanying table (p. 76) lists salient characters of Strepsylla gen. nov. and compares them with those of Neopsylla, Meringis, Phalacropsylla, Epitedia, Tamiophila, Catallagia, and Delotelis. The table also serves to show the relationship of these genera, and is a ready means of diagnosis. Thus it may be significant to note that in Meringis the apical bristle of the third tarsal segment of the metatarsus is very long, and that the tarsal claws are unusually long and thin. Consistent characters could not be ascertained for females. However, it is pointed out that in Meringis the ventral bristle of the anal stylet is usually missing; in the other genera it is usually present, though at times reduced or vestigial and/or subapical. In Phalacropsylla the anal stylet is long and narrow, nearly five times as long as wide; in the other genera it usually is about four times as long as wide. Dr. Karl Jordan, of the British Museum, has kindly pointed out (in litt.) additional characters that demonstrate the affinities of this genus. He states that four links (vincula) between head and base of abdomen occur only in the neopsyllids and pygiopsyllids; all the other genera are without the fourth, and a few genera lack the first. The fourth link is easily demonstrable in Tamiophila; the other American neopsyllids lack it. Another character, according to Dr. Jordan, is that of the first link, which in ceratophyllids is seen above the posterior end of the male antenna and which rests posteriorly in a sinus of the margin of the prosternosome. He writes: "This sinus is absent in all pygiopsyllids and all neopsyllids of the Old World known to me, and also in Tamiophila; indicated or quite distinct in the other American neopsyllids, inclusive of Strepsylla." O Q H 3 PS Q i O s CQ OH ss in M ^ g DELOTEL JORDAN + IBASE TROCHANTI 4 4 ^ X kl 0. 41 X kl 0. 4 41 VENTRAL ABSENT M 4 IO O * O o 4 4 * 4 4 Q H o -1 IO 35 : _i H 0. bl ^ £j o o ir in O X 4 t- O H UJ Z 2- to o * 4 N X UI 0. X UI 0. •H ENTRA CVI IO 4 „ 0 * 0 + 4 o o O -1 0 o 4 E 0. M p« X 41 Z 0 if,f O X 0 u 0 4 N * x u UJ Q- Z o X -> Z 4 u 4 0 UJ Q. Q. 4 ui E in J 4 to 0 4 0 o 41 o o 0 O 2 UI * 10 0 V + 1 UI A 1- 4 N V -1 4 UI Q- . 4 H z 0 = M « s a <£ t 0 a> I V •3 II I S ° "S S J S figs" J-3 Phalacropsylla, 74, 75, 76, 96 Pleochaetis, 13, 14, 24-45 (diagnosis, 23-26; Rhopalopsy mae 66 106 key to spp., 43^15), 93, 100, 102-103 Rhopalopsyllus, 13, 87, 89, 105, 106, 107 apollinaris, 25, 32, 36-37, 43, 45. PI. rimatus, Polygenis, 64 20, figs. 8-13 riparius, Ceratophyllus dolens, 25, 34-36, 43, 44, 45. Pis. 18, 19 roberti, Polygenis, 105 dolens quitanus, 36, 44, 45. PI. 20, figs, roberti, Pulex, 105 1-3 equatoris, 25, 31, 43 , , nparius, Ceratophyllus, 101-102. PI. 52, fig. 4 sanborni, Ctenophthalmus, 72-73. PI. 42 124 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 schmidti, Pleochaetis, 41-43, 44, 45. Pis. 25, 26 segnis, Leptopsylla, 105. PI. 51, fig. 1 segnis, Pidex, 105 sexdentatus, Orchopeas, 60 sibynes, Pleochaetis, 29 sibynus, Pleochaetis, 33 sibynus, Pleochaetis, 25, 26, 29-31, 32, 43, 45, 102. Pis. 12, 13 sinoculus, Pulex, 85-88, 111. Pis. 49, figs. 1-3; 50 Stenoponia, 93-95, 97, 108, 114 americana, 94. PI. 51, fig. 3 tripectinata, 93 STEPHANOCIRCIDAE, 93, 97 Sternopsylla, 93, 108-109 texana, 74, 108. PI. 54, fig. 3 Strepsylla, 74-81 (diagnosis, 75), 93, 95-96 fautini, 80-81. Pis. 45, fig. 5; 46 mina, 75, 77-80, 81. Pis. 44; 45, figs. sp., 81 talpae, Hystrichopsylla, 95 talpae, Pulex, 95 Tamiophila, 74, 75, 76 texana, Sternopsylla, 74, 108. PI. 54, fig. 3 texanus, Ischnopsyttus, 108 Thrassis, 90 Trichopsytta, 24, 90 ironsi, 20 tripectinata, Stenoponia, 93 Tritopsylla, 93 Tunga, 93, 114-115 penetrans, 114-115. PI. 54, fig. 6 uniseta, Kohlsia, 52-54, 56. PI. 32 vermiformis, Pleochaetis, 37-38, 43, 44. PI. 20, figs. 4-7 vesperalis, Ceratophyttus, 102 vesperalis, Opisodasys, 102 urickhami, Pulex, 100 Xenopsylla, 93, 106, 109-110, 111, 112, 113 cheopis, 89, 109-110, 112. PI. 53, fig. 1 pachyuromydis, 109 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS1 A.A.R. Aedeagal apodemal rod. A.B. Antepygidial bristles. AE.A. Aedeagal apodeme. AED. Aedeagus. A.I.T. Armature of sheath of inner tube. A.L.L. Accessory lateral lobe of aedeagus. Extensions of lateral plate of aedeagal apodeme. A. M.S. Apical sclerite of median dorsal lobe of aedeagus. AP.A. Apical appendage. Cephalic rod-like appendage of aedeagus of certain genera. AP.R.9 Apodemal rod of ninth sternum. AP.S. Apodemal strut. A.S. Anal stylet. A.S.A. Accessory sclerite of apodemal strut. A.S.I. Apex of sclerotized inner tube. A.SP. Accessory spur of aedeagus. A.S.T. Apical sclerites of inner tube. B.C. Bursa copulatrix. B.I.T. Sclerotized narrow band of inner tube extending distad of apex of sclerotized sheath of inner tube. CL. Clasper. CR. Aedeagal crochets. CR.P. Crochet processes. C.S. Crescent sclerite. A sclerite mesad to apodemal strut and in which dorsal margin is well sclerotized and crescentic in shape. D.A.9 Distal arm of male ninth sternum. D.A.L. Dorsal anal lobe. D.I.R. Dorsal intramural rod of endophallus. D.I.T. Dorsal arm of inner tube (Xenopsylla and allies). D.L. Disto-dorsal articulated lobes of aedeagus (Strepsylla). D.L.P. Dorsal lobe of proctiger. D.S. Dorsal lobe of apodemal strut. D.S.I. Dorsal sclerotization of sheath of inner tube, as in Ctenophthalmus. D.S.L. Dorsal spur of lateral plate of aedeagal apodeme (Orchopeas). E.I.T. Extra-aedeagal semimembranous inner tube extending distad of sclerotized sheath of inner tube. EPX. Epipharyngeal stiletto. F. Movable finger of clasper. Fl. Anterior or dorsal movable finger of clasper. F2. Posterior or ventral movable finger of clasper. FL. Semimembranous flap on ventral margin of ninth sternum (Strepsylla) . FN. Fin. cephalo-dorsal expansion of aedeagal apodeme. G. Girdle encircling aedeagal apodeme; formed by sclerotized walls of aedeagal pouch. 1 Listed alphabetically, regardless of punctuation. 125 126 FIELDIANA: ZOOLOGY MEMOIRS, VOLUME 1 H.F. Hood flaps. Dorso-apical aedeagal flaps partially enclosing median dorsal lobe (Polygenis and allies). HL. Heel, formed by ventro-apical fusion of lateral plates of aedeagal apodeme (Poly- genis and allies). I.M. Intersegmental membrane. I.R. Ventral intramural rod of endophallus. I.T.-A. Apical sclerite of sclerotic inner tube. I.T.-B. Basal sclerite of sclerotic inner tube. K. Keel formed by fusion of ventral walls of aedeagal pouch. LAC. Maxillary laciniae. L.L. Lateral lobe of aedeagus. L.P. Labial palpi. L.PT. Lateral plate of aedeagal apodeme. L.S. Latero-ventral curved lobe of apodemal strut of aedeagus. L.S.I. Lateral sclerotization of inner tube. MB. Manubrium. M.D.L. Median dorsal lobe of aedeagus. MI. P. Middle plate of aedeagal apodeme. MPM. Mesepimeron. MPS. Mesepisternum. M.S. Submedian mesal lobe of apodemal strut of aedeagus. MX. Maxillary lobe. N. Neck. Constricted portion cephalad of apodemal strut of aedeagus of certain genera. P. Immovable process of clasper. PI. Anterior or dorsal process of immovable clasper. P2. Posterior or ventral process of immovable clasper. P.A.9 Proximal arm of male ninth sternum. P.D.L. Secondary or paradorsal lobe of aedeagus (Kohlsia). P.L.S. Primary lateral sclerite of aedeagus (Sternopsylla). P.M.D. Primary median dorsal lobe of aedeagus. PR. Process of intersegmental membrane between segments eight and nine. P.R. Penis rods. P.S. Proximal spur of aedeagus. Marks limit of aedeagal pouch. PS.C. Pseudo crochets. Ventro-apical sclerites, suggesting crochets. PS.L. Pseudo- ventral lobe. A modification of median dorsal lobe (Kohlsia). PS.T. Pseudo-tube. An accessory tube superficially resembling inner tube (Polygenis and allies). P.W. Wall of aedeagal pouch. RB. Rib. A dorsal strengthening sclerite in the aedeagus of Ctenocephalides and allies. RN. Runners. Lateral thickenings of floors of aedeagus. S. Sail. Dorsally arched middle plate, as in Ctenophthalmus. S.D.L. Subapical dorsal lobes of aedeagus. S.I.T. Sclerotic inner tube. S.L.S. Secondary lateral sclerite of aedeagus (Sternopsylla). SP. Spermatheca. T.AP.8 Tergal apodeme of eighth segment. T.AP.9 Ventral margin of apodeme of ninth tergum. V. Vesicle at apex of ventral intramural rod of aedeagus. V.A.L. Ventral anal lobe. V.L.P. Ventral lobe of proctiger. V.S.I. Ventral sclerotization of sheath of inner tube as in Ctenophthalmus. TRAUB: SIPHONAPTERA FROM CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO 127 X.G. The so-called X-gland of Wagner. 7 S. Seventh sternum. 8 S. Eighth sternum. 8 T. Eighth tergum. 9 T. Ninth tergum. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 1 Jellisonia klotsi Traub 1944 FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FlG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Foretibia; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 1 I.R. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 2 Jellisonia klotsi Traub 1944 FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 5. Variation of seventh sternum; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Spermatheca. FIG. 6. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 3. Apex of crochet. male. FIG. 4. Anal stylet. FIG. 7. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 2 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 3 Jellisonia hayesi hayesi sp. and subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Foretibia; male. FIG. 4. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 5. Aedeagus. Fieldiana : Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 3 D.A.9 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 4 Jellisonia hayesi hayesi sp. and subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Apex of crochet. FIG. 5. Spermatheca. FIG. 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 6. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 4 ~- 2 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 5 Jellisonia hayesi breviloba sp. and subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Seventh sternum; female. FlG. 3. Bursa copulatrix. Jellisonia dybasi sp. nov. FIG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 5. Spermatheca. male- FIG. 6. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 5 SR EXPLANATION OF PLATE 6 Jellisonia ironsi (Eads 1946) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Foretibia; male. FIG. 2. Apex of crochet. FlG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 5. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 6 L.L. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 7 Jellisonia irotisi (Eads 1946) FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Spermatheca. FIG. 5. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 3. Anal stylet. FIG. 6. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 7 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 8 Jellisonia bullisi (Augustson 1944) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Foretibia; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 8 M. A.9 AED. P.R M.D.L. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 9 Jdlisonia bvttisi (Augustson 1944) FIG. 1. Process and movable finger. FIG. 4. Anal stylet. FlG. 2. Spermatheca. FIG. 5. Distal arm of ninth sternum and FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- aPex of crochet male. FIG. 6. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 9 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 10 Pleochaetis mathesoni sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male FIG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 10 LAC. P.P. A.B O.A.9 APR. 9 M.D.L. A.S.I. I.R. L.S. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 11 Pleochaetis mathesoni sp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 4. Spermatheca. clasper- FIG. 5. Ventral anal lobe; female. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; FIG. 6. Modified abdominal segments; fe- male. male. FIG. 3. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 7. Anal stylet. FIG. 8. Modifications of seventh sternum; female. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 11 8 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 12 Pleochaetis sibynus (Jordan 1925) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Eighth tergum ; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 12 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 13 Pleochaetis sibymis (Jordan 1925) FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FlG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum and FIG. 4. Anal stylet. apex of crochet. FIG. 5. Spermatheca. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 13 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 14 Pleochaetis parus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 4. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 5. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 14 E.I.T. L.S.I. L.L. L.S. I.R. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 15 Pleochaetis parus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 4. Spermatheca. FIG. 5. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 15 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 16 Pleochaetis equatoris equatoris (Jordan 1933) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; female. FIG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 2. Spermatheca. male- FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 5. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 16 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 17 Pleochaetis equatoris asetus subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 5. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 6. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Antenna; male. clasper. FIG. 4. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 7. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 8. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 17 A.B. L.S. 8 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 18 Pleochaetis dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild 1914) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 4. Eighth tergum; male (Salvador). FIG. 2. Eighth tergum; male (Guatemala). FIG. 5. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FlG. 6. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 18 L.S. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 19 Pleochaetis dolens dolens (Jordan and Rothschild 1914) FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 4. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male clasper (Salvador). (Guatemala). FIG. 2. Process and movable finger of FIG. 5. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper (Guatemala). male- FIG. 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male FlG- 6- Anal stylet (Salvador). FIG. 7. Spermatheca. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 19 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 20 Pleochaetis dolens quitanus (Jordan 1931) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; female. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 2. Spermatheca. male- Pleochaetis vermiformis sp. nov. FIG. 4. Head and part of thorax; female. FIG. 6. Anal stylet. FIG. 5. Spermatheca. FIG. 7. Modified abdominal segments; fe- male. Pleochaetis apollinaris (Jordan and Rothschild 1921) FIG. 8. Head and part of thorax; female. FIG. 11. Variations, seventh sternum; fe- FlG. 9. Modified abdominal segments; fe- male- male. FIG. 12. Spermatheca. FlG. 10. Variations, seventh sternum; fe- FIG. 13. Anal stylet, male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 20 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 21 Pleochaetis paramundus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FlG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FlG. 5. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 21 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 22 Pleochaetis paramundus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 4. Spermatheca. clasper. FlG 5 Variation in seventh sternum; fe- FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 6. Anal stylet. male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 22 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 23 Pleochaetis mundus (Jordan and Rothschild 1922) FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FlG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 5. Apex of eighth sternum ; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 6. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 23 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 24 Pleochaetis mundus (Jordan and Rothschild 1922) FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 4. Spermatheca. FIG. 5. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 24 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 25 Pleochaetis schmidti sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and parts of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Eighth sternum ; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 25 CR. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 26 Pleochaetis schmidti sp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 4. Spermatheca. FIG. 5. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 26 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 27 Kohlsia osgoodi sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 27 D.A.9 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 28 Kohlsia osgoodi sp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum and FIG. 4. Ventral anal lobe; female. apex of crochet. FIG. 5. Spermatheca. FIG. 6. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 28 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 29 Kohlsia gr aphis erana subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 2. Spermatheca. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Anal stylet. Kohlsia graphis graphis (Rothschild 1909) FIG. 6. Apex of aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 29 8S. ARR.9 RM.D. A.S.I. L.S.I. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 30 Kohlsia graphis erana subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 4. Eighth sternum ; male. Kohlsia graphis graphis (Rothschild 1909) FIG. 5. Process and movable finger of FIG. 6. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male, dasper. FIG. 7. Eighth sternum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 30 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 31 Kohlsia gammonsi sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 5. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 2. Anal stylet. FIG. 6. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; FIG. 7. Spermatheca. male- FIG. 8. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 4. Aedeagus. male. FIG. 9. Process and movable finger of clasper. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 31 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 32 Kohlsia uniseta sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 5. Aedeagus. FIG. 2. Process and movable finger of FIG. 6. Eighth sternum; male. clasPer- FIG. 7. Spermatheca. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; male. FlG 8 Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 4. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. male. FIG. 9. Anal stylet. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 32 8 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 33 Kohlsia cora sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; FIG. 6. Process and movable finger of male. clasper. FIG. 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 7. Eighth sternum; male. Kohlsia campaniger (Jordan 1931) FIG. 5. Modified abdominal segments (in part) ; female. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate EXPLANATION OF PLATE 34 Foxella hoogstraali sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 2. Eighth tergum; male. FIG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 5. Aedeagus. Foxella ignota ignota (Baker 1895) FIG. 6. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 34 P.R: L.U. I.R. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 35 Foxella hoogstraali sp. nov. FIG. 1. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 4. Variation in seventh sternum; fe- FIG. 2. Process and movable finger of male< clasper. FIG. 5. Anal stylet. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FlG- 6- Ventral anal lobe; female, male. FIG. 7. Spermatheca. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 35 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 36 Orchopeas fulleri sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 4. Eighth tergum; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 36 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 37 Orchopeas fulleri sp. nov. FIG. 1. Anal stylet. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 2. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 5. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- clasper. male. FIG. 6. Spermatheca. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 37 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 38 Polygenis adocetus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Process and movable finger of FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; clasper. male. FIG. 4. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 5. Aedeagus. Polygenis gwyni (C. Fox 1914) FIG. 6. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 38 AEO. PS.T. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 39 Polygenis adocetus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Apex of aedeagus. FIG. 4. Spermatheca. FIG. 3. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 5. Ventral anal lobe; female, male. FlG. 6. Anal stylet. Polygenis gwyni (C. Fox 1914) FIG. 2. Apex of aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 39 M.D.L. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 40 Ctenophthalrmis haagi sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 7. Modified abdominal segments; fe- FIG. 2. Eighth sternum; male. male- FIG. 3. Aedeagus. FlG- 8- Spermatheca. FIG. 4. Modified abdominal segments; FIG. 9. Anal stylet. male. FlG. 10. Ventral anal lobe; female. FlG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. ^IG. 11. Processes and movable finger of FIG. 6. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. clasper. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 40 10 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 41 Ctenophthalmits expansus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 2. Processes and movable finger of FIG. 4. Aedeagus. clasper" FIG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 41 AP.R. L.L. 4 •-R. K; CR. Mt 5 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 42 CtenophthalmiLS sanborni sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 3. Eighth sternum; male. FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. FIG. 6. Processes and movable finger of clasper. FIG. 7. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. FIG. 8. Spermatheca. FIG. 9. Modified abdominal segments; female. FIG. 10. Anal stylet. FIG. 11. Ventral anal lobe; female. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 42 A.B. 8S. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 43 Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes pseudagyrtes Baker 1904 FIG. 1. Processes and movable finger of FIG. 3. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. Eighth sternum; male. FlG. 6. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. Ctenophthalmus pseudagyrtes micropus subsp. nov. FIG. 4. Seventh sternum; female. FIG. 8. Apex of aedeagus. FIG 7 Processes and movable finger of FIG. 9. Distal arm of ninth sternum; ciasper. maje Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 43 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 44 Strepsylla mina sp. nov. FlG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 3. Aedeagus. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 4. Apex of lateral lobe of aedeagus. FIG. 5. Distal arm of ninth sternum and associated flap; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 44 EPX: EXPLANATION OF PLATE 45 StrepsyUa mina sp. nov. FIG. 1. Process and movable finger of FIG. 3. Anal stylet. p I O? T")f*t* FIG. 2. Spermatheca. ^ ^° ' abd°minal Segments; fe~ Strepsylla fautini sp. nov. FIG. 5. Head and part of thorax; male. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 45 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 46 Strepsylla fautini sp. nov. FIG. 1. Modified abdominal segments; FlG. 3. Distal arm of ninth sternum and male. associated flap; male. FIG. 2. Apex of lateral lobe of aedeagus. FlG. 4. Aedeagus. FlG. 5. Process and movable finger of clasper. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 46 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 47 Corrodopsylla curvata lira subsp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 3. Aedeagus. FIG. 4. Processes and movable finger of clasper. FlG. 5. Spermatheca. FIG. 6. Apex of aedeagus. FIG. 7. Modified abdominal segments; fe- male. FIG. 8. Ventral anal lobe; female. FIG. 9. Anal stylet. FIG. 10. Antepygidial process; male. FIG. 11. Antepygidial process; female. FIG. 12. Distal arm of ninth sternum; male. Doratopsylla blarinae C. Fox 1914 FIG. 13. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 47 -A.B. II EXPLANATION OF PLATE 48 Corrodopsylla hamiltoni (Traub 1944) FIG. 1. Head; male. FIG. 4. Base of antepygidial bristles; male. FIG. 2. Processes and movable finger of FIG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. clasper. FIG. 6. Seventh sternum; female. FIG. 3. Apex of distal arm of ninth sternum; FIG. 10. Base of antepygidial bristles; fe- male, male. Corrodopsylla curvata curvata (Rothschild 1915) FIG. 7. Head; male. FIG. 9. Apex of distal arm of ninth sternum; FIG. 8. Processes and movable finger of ma^e- clasper. FIG. 11. Apex of aedeagus. FIG. 12. Seventh sternum ; female. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 48 S.LT. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 49 Pulex sinoculus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Head and part of thorax; male. FIG. 2. Modified abdominal segments; male. FIG. 3. Aedeagus. Pulex irritans Linnaeus FIG. 4. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 49 8T. A.B. D.A.9 ..^obsseas- m//.. as. A.A.R. IR. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 50 Pulex sinoculus sp. nov. FIG. 1. Movable fingers of clasper. FIG. 4. Ventral anal lobe; female. FIG. 2. Distal arm of ninth sternum; FIG. 5. Modified abdominal segments; fe- male, male. FIG. 3. Anal stylet. FIG. 6. Spermatheca. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 50 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 51 Leptopsylla segnis (Schonherr 1811) FIG. 1. Aedeagus. Orchopeas leucopus (Baker 1904) FIG. 2. Aedeagus. Stenoponia americana (Baker 1899) FIG. 3. Aedeagus. Hystrichopsylla gigas dippiei Rothschild 1902 FIG. 4. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 51 M.D.L. A.M.S. I.R. PW. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 52 Dasypsyllus gallinulae perpinnatus (Baker 1904) FIG. 1. Aedeagus. Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bosc 1801) FIG. 2. Aedeagus. Diamanus montanus (Baker 1895) FIG. 3. Aedeagus. CeratophyUtis riparius Jordan and Rothschild 1920 FIG. 4. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 52 O.L. I.R. RW. A.M.S. B4.T. L.L. .L. L.S. E.I.T. RW. A .M.S. E.I.T. M.S. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 53 Xenopsylla cheopis (Rothschild 1903) FIG. 1. Aedeagus. Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis 1826) FIG. 2. Aedeagus. Ctenocephalides felis (Bouchd 1835) FIG. 3. Apex of aedeagus. Hoplopsyllus anomalm (Baker 1904) FIG. 4. Apex of aedeagus. FIG. 6. Aedeagus. Hoplopsyllus affinis (Baker 1904) FIG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 53 D.I.T. L.L. P.W. L.S. I.R. A.A.R. L.L. PS.C. EXPLANATION OF PLATE 54 Opisodasys hollandi Traub 1947 FIG. 1. Aedeagus. MyodopsyUa collinsi Kohls 1937 FIG. 2. Aedeagus. Sternopsylla texana (C. Fox 1914) FIG. 3. Aedeagus. Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood 1875) FIG. 4. Aedeagus. FIG. 5. Apex of aedeagus. Tunga penetram (Linnaeus) FIG. 6. Aedeagus. Fieldiana: Zoology Memoirs, Volume 1 Plate 54 L.L. M.D.L. A.S.T. L.L. S.I.T. PS.C(?) ARS. S.LT.