﻿114. 



PULEX TALP^. 



Mole's Flea. 



Order Siphonaptera Lat. Aphaniptera Kirhy. Suctoria ILat. 

 Aptera Lmn., Lam.^ Leach. 



Type of the Genus Pulex irritans Linn. 



PuLEX Linn., Fab., Lat., &;c. 



Antennae? inserted in two excavations behind the eyes, small, la- 

 melliform, ciliated with spines, having one very short joint at the 

 base. Lat. Gen. Crust, v. 4. p. 365. 

 Labrum none. 



Ma7idibles\ong, slender, compressed, corneous transparent, with 

 a rib down the centre (d). 



Tongue as long as the mandibles, slender, filiform, transpa- 

 rent (c). 



Maxillce lateral, somewhat hollow, receiving the base of the pal- 

 pi, coriaceous, corneous transparent and obtuse at the apex (e). 

 Palpi robust, 4-jointed, somewhat pilose (f ), 

 Mention small coriaceous (C. E.h). Labium transparent, mem- 

 branous (Ei), from each side of which arises a Palpus as long as 

 the mandibles composed of 4 articulations, with a tew hairs at 

 the apex of each joint on the external side, and united internally 

 by a continuous membranous dilated margin (k). 

 Head small, compressed, rounded above, truncated before, ciliated more 

 or less with bristles. Eyes small lateral, generally orbicular (A). 

 Thorax composed of 3 segments, to each of which a pair of legs is at- 

 tached. Abdomen larger in the female than male, formed of several 

 rings united on the sides by a sinuated suture. Legs, posterior the 

 longest, formed for leaping. Coxae very large. Thighs short. Ti- 

 biae very pilose. Tarsi 5 -jointed. Claws long, slender acute, in- 

 curved at their base. Pulvilli none (8). 

 Larvae vermiform. Pupae incomplete, inclosed in a cocoon. 



Talp^ Nobis. 



Shining ferruginous. Head nutant. Eyes pale, ovate. Cly- 

 peus ciliated with very strong black bristles concealing the 

 mouth. Maxillary palpi with the basal joint the longest? Tho- 

 rax small cylindric. Abdomen compressed, composed of several 

 joint;-:, the margins of which on the back and sides are ciliated 

 with strong hairs ; apex furnished with long bristles. Coxae 

 long, very much dilated at the base, notched and acuminated on 

 the internal edge in the 4 posterior. Thighs short, compressed, 

 narrowed towards their apex. Tibiae and tarsi, especially the 

 former, furnished with strong bristles. 



In the Cabinet of the British Museum. 



We must content ourselves with referring to Kirby and 

 Spence's Introduction to Entomology and to Latreille's His- 

 toire Natiirelle (tome 14.) tor tlie history and various amusing 



