I 



SECTION I 



DEALING WITH THE CLASSIFICATION OP THE ARGASIDAE 



Superfamily: IXODOIDEA Banks. 



Family I : ARGASIDAE Canestrini, 1890. 

 Family II : IXODIDAE Murray, 1877. 



The most striking difference between the Argasidae and the 

 Ixodidae is the possession by the latter of a shield or scutum, which 

 covers the whole body of the male, and prevents any large degree of 

 distention, while it forms a small patch on the anterior part of the 

 dorsum of the female, the rest of the body being greatly distensible. 

 The Argasidae possess no such scutum, but are covered by a more or 

 less uniform leathery integument. Many other differences, however, 

 exist, and the principal may be tabulated as follows : 



VA/A. futm* f |G B 



Figures illustrating the main points wherein the Argasidae (A, an Argas) 

 differ from the Ixodidae (B, an Amblyomma ? ). 



Argasidae Ixodidae 



