1908.] NEW SPECIES OF PLEAS. 627 



Siphonaptera collected hy Mr. M. P. Anderson in Japan in 1904. 

 By the Hon. N. Charles Rothschild, M.A. 



(Plates XXX. & XXXI.) 



The collection contains five species, of which three are new. 



1. Ceratophyllus melis Walk. (1856). 



Ptdex melis Walker, Dipt. Brit. p. 5. n. 14 (1856) (off Badger); 

 Tasch. Die Flohe, p. 73. n. 10, t. 2. figs. 15, 15 a, t. 3. fig. 16 (1880) 

 (off Badger and Fox). 



Five females taken off Meles anakuma at Jinrio, Tokushima 

 Ken, Shikokvi, Japan, on Februaiy 17th. 



2. Ceratophyllus ARGUS, sp. n. (Plate XXX. fig. 15 ; Plate 

 XXXI. fig. 18.) 



This species is closely allied to C. scittrorum Schrank (1804) 

 and G. anisus Rothsch. (1907). These insects agree with one 

 another in almost every detail of the exo-skeleton except in the 

 modified posterior segments of the abdomen. 



The rostrum is somewhat longer in the new species than in the 

 others mentioned above, reaching to the apex of the trochanter or 

 a little beyond. 



Modified segments. — S • The eighth tergite bears 4 (some- 

 times 5) bristles along the upper edge from the stigma anad, 

 there being 3 to 5 additional bristles on the lateral surface, 

 besides 1 or 2 which are placed near the ventral margin. The 

 eighth sternite (PI. XXX. fig. 15) resembles that of C. anisus, 

 being much longer than in 0. sciurorunt. The clasper is pro- 

 duced into a short obtuse process (PL XXX. fig. 15, P), which is 

 much broader and more rounded than in the allied forms. The 

 finger (F) of the clasper is veiy slender. The vertical arm of the 

 ninth sternite (IX. st.) is curved as in C. anisus. The proximal 

 portion of the horizontal arm is only slightly dilated, and there 

 are less hairs on this dilated part than in C. anisus. — $ . The 

 seventh sternite of the abdomen (PL XXXI. fig. 18) becomes 

 narrower distally, the upper edge being incurved before the apex, 

 while the apical margin is slightly emarginate. This sclerite is 

 as long as it is broad. The eighth tergite resembles that of 

 C. sclurorum. It bears about 7 small bristles above the stigma 

 and 1 long and 2 short ones near the margin below the stigma. 

 The apex of this segment is slightly emarginate, there being 

 3 bristles at the lower angle of the apex, 3 short but rather stout 

 ones proximally to them, 4 along the ventral margin and 4 to 6 

 dorsally to these. The stylet is more than three times as long as 

 it is broad at the base. 



Length : c? 2*4 mm., $ 4 mm. 



We have four S f^nd one $ , taken off Fetaurista leucogenys, 

 at Mitai, Miyasaki Kiushiu, Japan. 



