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Mallophaga from South African Birds. Descriptions of a New Genus (Neomenopon) and Two New Species (Machaerilaemus plocei, Neomenopon pteroclubus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

G. A. H. Bedford
Affiliation:
(Entomologist, Veterinary Research Laboratory, Union of South Africa.)

Extract

The species herein described both belong to the family Menoponidae. One of these species, collected by me from a Waxbill (a passerine bird) at Onderstepoort, Pretoria, belongs to the genus Machaerilaemus Harrison, the other, taken from a Sandgrouse in the Rustenburg District, Transvaal, by Mr Powell, together with specimens of a species of Degeeriella, I am placing in a new genus, for which I propose the name Neomenopon. These two new species are extremely interesting, in that they both possess a chitinous framework extending backwards from the anterior margin of the head for the support of the mandibles, a structure previously only known to occur in the genus Eomenopon Harrison, which was established partly on account of this structure. A similar structure, however, also occurs in a small unidentified species of Menopon taken from a Little Banded Goshawk (Astur polyzonoides) at Onderstepoort. This species may eventually prove to be sufficiently distinct in other details from the type of Menopon to warrant the founding of a new genus for its reception.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1920

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References

REFERENCES

Carriker, (1903). Mallophaga from Birds of Costa Rica, Central America. Univ. Nebraska Stud. iii. 190191.Google Scholar
Harrison, (1915). On a New Family and Five New Genera of Mallophaga. Parasitology, vii. 385393.Google Scholar
Neumann, (1912). Note sur les Mallophages, II. Archives de Parasitol. xv. 353368.Google Scholar