( 329 ) 



SOME NEW SIPHONAPTERA. 



By the HON. N. 0. ROTHSCHILD, M.A., F.L.S. 

 Thauniapsylla gen. nov. 

 Allied to Tschnopsyllus Westw. (1833). 



Head semicircnlar, being very short, Maxilla triangular and pointed in 

 side-view (Fig. 1). Prothorax, apart from comb of teeth, extremely short. 

 Mesonotum long ; metanotum short, with a comb of short and widely separate 

 teeth. Abdomen broad, resembling Pulex. Hindcoxa very long, without distinct 



wax 



Fig. 1. 



apical excision behind. The short bristles at the edge of the tibiae of even size, 

 as in Ctcnopsi/llits musculi, etc. 



A very remarkable bat-flea, which, in the pointed maxilla, is a connecting 

 link between the genera Tschnopsyllus and Ctenopsyllus. 



1. Thaumapsylla breviceps spec. nov. 



Head. — The labial palpns consists of five segments, reaching to half the 

 length of the forecoxa. The forehead bears one long bristle at the antennal 

 groove and numerous very tiny hairs along the frontal edge (Fig. 1). 



Thorax. — The comb of the pronotum projects downwards over the sternite, 

 and consists of thirty-two teeth. The mesonotum bears numerous short bristles, 

 which are stout like most of the bristles on the body, besides a postmedian row 

 of five longer ones on each side ; before the apex there are two or three thin 

 spines close together. The metanotum bears two rows of bristles and a few 

 additional hairs on the back, with a comb of six to eight short spines at the apex. 

 The epimernm of the metathorax bears numerous short stout bristles. 



Abdomen. — The first tergite bears a comb like the metauotnm, and two rows 

 of bristles, the other tergites having only one row. 



Legs. — The forecoxa is very densely covered with short stout bristles, one 

 bristle at the hinder edge being much prolonged. The hindfemur bears four or 

 five ventral bristles from the base to the middle. There are four long bristles 

 on the hinder side of the hindtibia. The fifth tarsal segment is short and 

 triangular. 



modified Segments.— <S . The clasper is ovate, the finger small, halfmoon- 

 shaped, the manubrium tapering, being nearly straight and directed obliquely 



downwards. ? . The eighth tergite bears four bristles beneath the stigma and 



about sixteen farther down. The stylet is very short. 



