IV. Review of the Genus Cracimenopon (Mallophaga : Meno- 

 ponidae) Found on the Avian Genus Ortalis, With De- 

 scriptions of Six New Forms 



Before publishing my report on the Amblycera of the New World Gal- 

 liformes in 1 950, I was informed by Dr. G. H. E. Hopkins that in the forth- 

 coming Checklist of Mallophaga he planned to place the Menoponidae, 

 found on the Cracidae, in the genus Amyrsidea Ewing (except Menacanthus). 



Several years later I was able to secure specimens of Menopon ventralis, 

 the type species of Amyrsidea, and it was evident immediately that all of the 

 species of Menoponidae from the avian family Cracidae and the avian 

 genus Odontophorus, which I had described as Amyrsidea, could not possibly 

 remain in that genus. 



As a result of those studies the genera Cracimenopon and Desumenopon were 

 erected (1954), the former embracing the Menoponidae (except Menacan- 

 thus) parasitic on the avian family Cracidae, and the latter, on the avian 

 genus Odontophorus (family Phasianidae). 



Genus Cracimenopon Carriker 



Amyrsidea (part) Carriker, 1950, Rev. Acad. Colombiana Cienc, vol. 12, p. 490. 

 Cracimenopon Carriker, 1954, Nov. Colombianas, vol. 1, p. 25, — Type species: Cra- 

 cimenopon mituensis Carriker. 



Cracimenopon contains a very homogenous group of species apparently 

 present on all species of Cracidae and on no other avian family except 

 the genus Odontophorus (Phasianidae) . 



The most prominent generic characters are: Head much wider than 

 long, with rounded temples, more or less circular front of head (between 

 the ocular slits); deeply concave occipital margin; and the posterior, inner 

 corner of the pleurites produced in the form of a slender spine, which ranges 

 from very large (on the avian genus Crax) to quite small on some of the 

 species parasitic on the avian genus Ortalis. 



The male genitalia have an extremely short basal plate, usually shorter 

 than the long, slender parameres. The distal abdominal segment of the 

 female has a characteristic chaetotaxy. 



The only species treated in the present paper are those parasitic on the 

 avian genus Ortalis. Previously I described one species and two subspecies 

 from hosts of Ortalis, of which the male was known from only the nominate 

 race. 



I have now been able to examine material from six additional hosts of 

 Ortalis, with males from four of them. There is a very noticeable varia- 

 tion in the shape and size of the head and in the shape and markings of 



37 



