﻿SOME NEOTROPICAL BIRD LICE — CARRIKER 381 



Genus QUADRACEPS Clay and Meinertzhagen 



QUADRACEPS ACUTICEPS (Carriker) 



Multicola acnticeps Carriker. Bol. Ent. Venezolana, vol. 4, p. 179, 4 figs., 1945. 

 (Host: Podagcr nacunda minor, error; should be Burhinus bistriatus 

 vocifer. ) 



The specimens of Mallophaga from which this species was described 

 were inadvertently given the number of Podager, collected on the 

 same day. The error was not discovered until recently when speci- 

 mens of a Quadraceps from Burhinus superciliaris were being com- 

 pared with Q. annulatus from Burhiiius oedecnemis oedecnemis. 



Dr. Hopkins has kindly lent me a pair of Q. annulatus from the 

 type host, which has been compared with my series of related species 

 from Burhinus histriatus vocifer and B. swperciliaris^ with the result 

 that both series were found to differ from annulatus and inter se. 



The species from B. bistriatus vocifer has already been described 

 under the name of Multicola acuticeps Carriker, and now becomes 

 Quadraceps acuticeps (Carriker), while the specimens from B. super- 

 ciliaris are described below. 



The figures published for Q. acuticeps (Carriker) are correct in 

 all details except the clypeal area in the head of the female (loc. cit., 

 p. 179), which (cf. fig. ^) is too narrow, the specimen having been 

 slightly shrunken from excessive clearing. However, the enlarged 

 figure of the clypeal area of the male (loc. cit., p. 181) is correct, 

 although in many specimens the clypeal signature extends farther 

 beyond the frons than is shown in the figure, and the hyaline border 

 is wider. Q. acuticeps is very close to annulatus in size. The only 

 appreciable differences are: Q. acuticeps has the prothorax larger 

 (male 0.20 by 0.29 against 0.14 by 0.26) in both sexes; the head of the 

 female of Cbcuticeps is longer, wider at temples but considerably nar- 

 rower at frons. The clypeal signature seems to differ, but this cannot 

 be determined with accuracy. The structure of the abdominal sclerites 

 in both sexes is practically the same as in annulatus^ the sexes being 

 somewhat dimorphic in this respect. The pleurites are narrow, with 

 deeply reentering heads, the same in both sexes ; in the male, tergites 

 I and II are separated medially, but cover the whole segment, in III 

 to V they are entire, and in VI to VIII are separated medially, and 

 with the inner portion much narrowed. 



In the female, tergite I is separated medially, while II to V are 

 deeply incised medially on anterior margin and the remainder are 

 entire and cover the whole segment. The sternites in the male are 

 widely separated from the pleurites, while in the female they seem to 

 be fused with them. 



The male genitalia seem to differ considerably from those of an- 

 nulatus (fig. 45, A) in the shape and structure of the parameres, al- 



