RHIJPICEPHALUS SIMUS 603 



Scutum dark brown ; eyes large, flat, and of a yellowish colour. The 

 marginal groove extends to and bounds the extreme festoon. The punc- 

 tations are large, equal and fairly numerous, forming longitudinal rows. 

 Adanal plates sub-triangular, the internal borders concave, the posterior 

 round, twice as long as broad ; the anus is situated nearer the anterior 

 than the posterior end of the plates ; accessory plate elongated and 

 spiniform. Basis capituli nearly as long as broad, lateral projections 

 near the anterior third. Caudal appendage absent or very short. Length 

 4 to 6 mm. ; width 2*2 to 3 mm. (Neumann) 



Female. Scutum at least as broad as long, with found or slightly 

 angular contour. Cervical grooves short and deep ; lateral grooves con- 

 sisting of a row of large punctations. Those on the scutum are numerous, 

 unequal ; there are fewer near the antero-lateral borders and they are 

 absent on the posterior border. Basis capituli twice as broad as long, 

 lateral projections at about the middle of the lateral border. Porose 

 areas circular and of medium size, the distance between them being equal 

 to their diameter. Length 6 to 12 mm. ; width 3 to 8'5 mm. (Neumann) 



R, simtis is found in Egypt, Senegal, Zanzibar, Kilamanjaro, German 

 East Africa and Madagascar ; it is parasitic on cattle, also on the lion, 

 camel, horse, zebra and dog. Neumann recognizes the following varieties. 



Variety erlangeri, Neumann. Male. Scutum with marginal groove 

 interrupted and not very deep ; marked with scattered punctations neither 

 large nor numerous, and not forming rows ; this variety is found in 

 Abyssinia. 



Variety hilgerti, Neumann. Male. Scutum with marginal grooves 

 formed anteriorly by large punctations ; on the scutum itself the puncta- 

 tions are very fine and numerous, and are interspersed with larger 

 ones ; accessory plates obsolete ; two small post-anal plates. No caudal 

 appendage. 



Female. Scutum with slightly sinous border; cervical and lateral 

 grooves deep ; punctations larger and more numerous ; this variety is 

 also found in Abyssinia, on the jackal. 



Variety planus, Neumann. Male. Scutum plain with few puncta- 

 tions; lateral grooves broad. In the female the scutum is nearly circular 

 in shape ; lateral grooves not very deep. It is recorded from Kilamanjaro. 



Variety shipleyi, Neumann. Male. Scutum with very fine puncta- 

 tions, not very numerous and intermixed with larger ones. Basis capituli 

 shorter than that of the type species ; lateral angles more prominent. 

 Coxa I with longer and straighter spurs. In the female the scutum also 

 has fine punctations. This variety is found on the hyaena in the Soudan- 



