PAPER V CARRIKER ON MALLOPHAGA 51 



Eiconolipeurus inexpectatus, new species 

 Figures v:9,15 



Holotype male and 3 paratypes from Dactylortyx thoracicus (Gambel) 

 collected by E. K. Miller and J. H. Poppy at Rancho del Cielo, Tamulipas, 

 Mexico, July 1948 (in USNM). 



Diagnosis: It is much closer to a typical species of the genus than to 

 laticapitis, but the preantennary portion of the head is wider and more 

 circular than all other known species. Segments 1 and 2 of antennae are 

 swollen more than normal, the former without the usual projection on 

 posterior margin (position of antenna reversed in fig. 9). Meso- and 

 metathoracic sutures are clearly indicated on lateral margins of thorax 

 and distal portion of abdomen (segments VIII-IX), similar to those of 

 melanotis and sanctaemartae, but still differing in details (fig. 15). Female is 

 unknown. 



Measurements are given in the tabulation above. 



Genus Oxylipeurus Mjoberg 



Oxylipeurus Mjoberg, 1910, Ark. Zool., vol, 6, p. 91. — Type species: Lipeurus inae- 

 qualis Piaget. 



This is a very large genus and has been recorded from many Galliformes 

 hosts from all parts of the world. My opinion is that the genus needs 

 some further revision, and that possibly those species parasitic on the 

 family Cracidae (New World) and Phasianidae (New World) should be 

 removed from it, but I do not have the necessary Old World material to 

 attempt such a revision. 



The species of Oxylipeurus, parasitic on the avian genus Ortalis, are an 

 extremely homogenous group, superficially similar, and with few strikingly 

 outstanding differences between the species. They are easily recognized 

 by the transverse, corrugated carina of the frons, instead of a varying 

 number of papillae along the posterior margin of the carina encircling the 

 frons. 



Many small morphological differences may be used for their separation. 

 Certain characters will differ in some species that do not differ in others, 

 but a careful check will show that a combination of these small differences 

 will almost always be of specific value whenever the hosts in question are 

 specifically distinct. Small differences will also be found between parasites 

 from conspecific hosts and such differences may sometimes be of subspecific 

 value. If two subspecies of hosts are closely related their ectoparasites 

 may be so nearly alike that to attempt their separation would be pointless. 



The characters that may be safely used for specific separation are the 

 following: Relative size of body; size and shape of head and prothorax; 

 type of transverse carina on frons; width and structure of preantennary 



