Genus Argas 3 



and which on examination appears to be a curious paired organ rather 

 than a simple groove, occurs also in other forms, notably in 0. talaje, 

 and is not peculiar to vespertilionis. With regard to 0. talaje, we 

 hesitate to remove it from Ornithodoros, as in most respects it more 

 closely resembles 0. erraticus than that species resembles, for example, 

 0. savignyi. 



In fact we are by no means sure that the family Argasidae contains 

 more than one genus, Argas 1 . At the time Ornithodoros was separated 

 off from it by Audouin (1827), the peculiar characteristics of 0. savignyi 

 seemed to warrant that proceeding, but the gap has largely been 

 bridged over by subsequently discovered species. For the present, 

 however, we prefer to retain the genus Ornithodoros, though some of 

 the distinctions which were supposed to exist between it and Argas 

 have to be discarded. 



Synonymy and Literature: 



Family ARGASIDAE Canestrini, 1890 2 . 



Argasiden Koch, 1844, p. 219 ; 1847, p. 11.— Fam. Argantidae Agassiz, 1846, p. 32. 

 — Fam. Argasides Furstenberg, 1861, p. 208.— Subfam. Argasidae Murray, 1877, 

 p. 180.— Berlese, 1885, p. 131 (incl. one genus : Argas).— Riley, 1887, p. 744.— 

 Tribe Argasides Megnin, 1880, p. 132 (comprising but one genus : Argas). — 

 Laboulbene and Megnin, 1882, p. 320 (both papers contain the same). — Megnin, 

 1892, p. 64 (brief mention only).— Tribe Argasin^s Railliet, 1886, p. 499.— 

 Neumann, 1888, p. 89 ; 1892a, p. 93.— Subfam. Argasinae Trouessart, 1892, 

 p. 38.— Railliet, 1893, p. 704.— Neumann, 1896, p. 2.— Dubreuilh and Beille, 

 1896, p. 68.— Ward, 1900 a, p. 196; 1900 b, p. 436, and numerous recent 

 authors. — Trouessart, 1891, p. 308; misquotation for Argasidae. — Fam. 

 Argasini Canestrini and Fanzago, 1877, p. 192.— Canestrini, 1890, p. 530.— 

 Fam. Argasidae Canestrini, 1890, p. 530 ; 1892, p. 582.— Marx, 1892, p. 232.— 

 Trouessart, 1892, p. 22.— Salmon and Stiles, 1901, p. 400.— Pavesi, P., 1884, 



1 In support of this view we may cite the case of Argas aequalis (Nn.) Neumann. 

 This species was first named Ornithodoros aequalis by Neumann (1901, p. 259), being 

 referred to the genus Ornithodoros because of its general form, parallel sides, and especially 

 the anterior portion of the body which narrows to a short rounded point. In Argas the 

 anterior portion of the body is usually broadly rounded and this had appeared to Neumann 

 to constitute a generic distinction until he came to describe A. brumpti which possesses the 

 physiognomy of Ornithodoros, together with essential characters of Argas. Neumann 

 (1908, p. 26) now refers aequalis to the genus Argas, because, on closer examination, it 

 has been found to possess the typical margin radially striated or with quadrangular areas, 

 visible ventrally and dorsally, which he now regards as a generic distinction. Neumann 

 appears to be almost in favour of degrading Ornithodoros to a subgenus, differing from 

 Argas by the ventral folds and the absence of the margin above mentioned. 



2 The above Synonymy of the Family is taken from Salmon and Stiles, 1901. 

 Additions have been made to date. 



1—2 



