Cooley & Kohls: Argasidae of N. America, etc. 13 



Genus Argas Latreille, 1796 



1796. Argas Latreille, original description, p. 18. The generic synonymy to 1850 is 

 reviewed in detail in Oudemans "Kritisch Histonsch Overzicht del Acarologie," 

 part 2, pp. 135-137 (1929) and part 3, B, pp. 746-755 (1936). See also Nuttall 

 el al. (1908) pp. 4-5. 



1932. Argas Latreille: Bedford, p. 275. OrnillwJoros made a synonym of Argas. 



1934. Argas Latreille: Bedford, p. 60. 



1936. Argas Latreille: Brumpt, p. 1186. 



Sexes similar; nymphs and adults similar. 



Body flattened, dorsal and ventral surfaces about equal in area; margin 

 distinctly flattened, made up of radial striae or quadrangular plates. Sutural 

 line present. Flattened margins not obliterated even when tick is fully fed. 

 Capitulum either distant from or near the anterior border. Integument 

 leathery, minutely wrinkled in folds of many shapes often intermingled with 

 small, rounded "buttons" each with a pit on top and often bearing a hair in 

 the pit. Discs present on both dorsal and ventral surfaces and placed in more 

 or less radial lines. Eyes absent. 



Genotype, A cams reflexus Fabricius, 1794, as designated by Latreille 

 (1802). Nuttall et al. while admitting that reflexus had been the accepted type 

 preferred to take persicus as the type because of its world-wide distribution 

 and its having been better studied. We regard these reasons as being insuffi- 

 cient for changing the genotype. 



Two species occur in North America, reflexus (Fabricius) 1794 (see dis- 

 cussion page 16) and persicus (Oken), 1818. A third species, A. brevipes 

 Banks 1908, described from Arizona, must remain in doubt since no specimens 

 so labelled 'by Banks are available and the description is inadequate. 



Key to Species of Argas 

 (Adults and Nymphs) 



Flattened margins striate; postpalpal hairs absent; hypostome apically rounded 



reflexus (p. 14) 



Flattened margins having quadrangular plates; post-palpal hairs present; hypostome 



apically notched persicus (p. 17) 



