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242 INSECTS AFFECTING DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
membranous ovate, with slender, curved hooks on eighth segment in female and 
conspicuous genital apparatus in male. 
Length, male, 0.95 mm.; female, 1.15 mm. 
From beaver, collected by Prof. Lawrence Bruner. This species sim- 
ulates both geomydis and mephitidis, and were it not for the wide sepa- 
ration of the beaver and skunk I might be tempted to consider them 
the same. There appears, however, some pretty constant differences. 
The shallowness of the frontal hollow separates it easily from geomydis, 
and the form of head and greater length of female antenne from 
mephitidis. 
Trichodectes mephitidis n. sp. 
Short and broad, male antennz large, front slightly excised. 
Female, head wider than long, transversely oval, front regularly curved, slightly 
excised at apex, the space directly behind the excision transparent, and the internal 
bands coming to a prominent right angle at each side of hollowed portion. 
Temporal lobes rounded posteriorly, no angle; occiput convex, a few short hairs on 
Fig. 150.—Trichodectes mephitidis: a, female; b, terminal segments, male; ¢, terminal segment, 
female; d, antennz, female; ¢, antennez, male; f, young—enlarged (original). 
posterior lateral border of head, none on front; thorax very short; legs as usual; 
abdomen without transverse bands or chitinous structures, except a pair of curved 
hooks on eighth segment at outer margin; scattering hairs, thickest on central 
portion. 
Male with frontal incision deeper, some very minute hairs on front edge. Antenne 
much larger than in female, basal joint enlarged, terminal joint curved, short hairs 
on outer part near tip; abdomen tapering, membranous, not banded, stiff hairs at 
angles and on the terminal segment, finer hairs on disk; genital apparatus conspic- 
uous. Immature specimens have the frontal incision more conspicuous. 
Length, female, 1.20 mm.; male, 0.95 mm. 
Collected from polecat (Spilogale interrupta), Tama County, Iowa. 
Numerous specimens from the skunk (Mephitis mephitica) collected 
by Lawrence Bruner, Holt County, Nebr.; also from Palo Alto, Cal, 
