nigricans 



159 



Ixodes ricinus var. californicus (Banks, 1904). 



Lit. etc. : Ixodes californicus Banks, 1904, p. 369, PI. XLI, Fig. 57 (scutum and 

 coxae) 1 ; 1908, p. 24, PI. II, Fig. 12 ($ capitulum and scutum). 



We have not seen this tick, which appears, from its description, to 

 be specifically indistinguishable from /. ricinus. Banks states that 

 the capitulum of californicus is much narrower, and that the two 

 forms are separable by the different porose areas, but his description 

 of the porose areas of californicus precisely applies to our specimens 

 of ricinus. Moreover, the figures given by Banks do not appear to 

 us to agree very well with his description. It is undoubtedly very 

 near to ricinus, and it appears to be only a variety. 



Male : (2 mm. I.) similar to /. scapularis £ , but scutum with more nearly 

 parallel sides. Spiracle nearly circular ; palps very short ; coxa I with long sharp 

 posterior spine. 



Female : Colour : Scutum yellowish-brown, legs darker brown, abdomen 

 yellowish-grey. Scutum l - 2 mm. I., but little longer than broad, somewhat 

 trapezoidal, lateral "carinae" not distinct, but traceable, many fine punctations. 

 Abdomen punctate, hairy. Capitulum not nearly as broad as in /. ricinus, 

 posterior angles acute, porose areas subtriangular, broader than long, separated by 

 about their length, the inner edge oblique ; palps moderate, article 2 slightly longer 

 than 3, the latter not twice as long as broad. Spiracle nearly circular, rather small, 

 finely granular. Legs : coxa I with long sharp basal spine, coxae I-IV with minute 

 tooth at apex behind ; legs rather slender, very hairy ventrally, tarsus 1 fully one 

 and one-half times the length of the metatarsus, tapering distally ; tarsus 4 but 

 little longer than metatarsus, tapering gradually. 



Origin : California (Claremont, Santa Clara Co., Santa Cruz Mts., Redwood 

 Creek, Humboldt Co.). Hosts : grey fox and black-tail deer. 



The above description is that given by Banks, rearranged, as far as 

 possible, in accordance with the method adopted in this work. 



2. IXODES NIGRICANS Neumann, 1908. 



Fig. 150 (original). 



Lit. and Synon. : Ixodes obscurus Neumann, 1899, p. 121 (no figure). 



Ixodes nigricans Neumann, vn, 1908, p. 75. Name given for the reason that 

 obscurus was preoccupied (/. obscurus Fabricius, 1805, p. 55, suppressed). 



Male : unknown. 



1 The earlier description by Banks (1904) applies, apparently, to a ? and o, when con- 

 sidered in conjunction with the figure. He states that coxa I has a " black hump " at the 

 posteroexternal border, but no (sic) basal spine ; coxae II and III with prominent spine, and 

 coxa IV with small protuberance at the postero-extemal border. Found on Toxostoma 

 r.rissalis, at Claremont, California (Baker). This description does not agree with the later 

 one. 



