THE FLEAS OF NORTH AMERICA 77 



inal description Stewart says. "There are four pairs of lateral plantar 

 bristles and a proximal median pair on the fifth tarsal segments of 

 the hind legs." The members of TamiophMa^ Epitedia, and XeopsyUa 

 are characterized by the possession of four pairs of lateral plantar 

 bristle-, without a proximal median pair, on the fifth tarsal segment 

 of the hind legs. In Epitedia there are four pairs of lateral plantar 

 bristles and a basal ventral pair on segment V of tarsi I and II : hence 

 this species, which is said to have five pairs of lateral plantar bristles 

 on the>e structures, would not go into Epitedia. The presence of five 

 pairs of lateral plantar bristles on the fifth segments of tarsi I and II 

 is diagnostic for Tamiophila. to which this species is provisionally 

 referred. 



Tamiophila texana (Stewart) was based upon a single female, and 

 no further record of its occurrence has been reported since the orig- 

 inal description. 



The Genus Epitedia Jordan 



(Fig. 8, B) 



Epitedia Jordan, 193S, Novitates Zool. 41: 124. Type. Ctenophthalmus wenmanni 

 Rothschild (by original designation). 



Frontal notch prominent, frontal tubercle small, acuminate. Genal comb 

 consisting of 2 spines, of which the first is short and broad and overlaps the 

 more slender and much longer second one. Eyes vestigial : eye region darkly 

 dis olorecL Labial palpus consisting of 5 segments. Coxa III with a row or 

 patch of spinelets on inner surface. Fifth segment of tarsi I and II with 4 

 pairs of lateral plantar bristles and a basal ventral pair located near median 

 line. Fifth segment of tarsus III with 4 pairs of plantar bristles, all of which 

 are lateral. Base of tail of receptaculum seminis projecting well into lumen 

 of head. 



Epitedia was the name given to a group of Xearctic species with- 

 drawn from Xeopsylki by Jordan. The genus XeopsyUa. estab- 

 lished by Wagner (79* p. 138) in 1903, included several different 

 genera. The type of XeopsyUa is TyphlopsyUu bidentatiformte Wag- 

 ner (78, p. Sol), described in 1893, but. unfortunately, because of the 

 unavailability of a specimen of this species, it has not been possible 

 to ascertain which, if any, of the various Xorth American species 

 described in XeopsyUa are congeneric with the type species. Hence 

 XeopsyUa, is regarded as not occurring in our fauna, and the North 

 American species referred to it are considered to be members of either 

 Epitedia or Tamiophila. which were split off from NeopsyUa by 

 Jordan. 



Epitedia faceta (Rothschild) 



NeopsyUa faceta Rothschild. 1915, Ectoparasites 1 : 32. figs. 34-35. 

 Epitedia faceta Jordan, 1938, Novitates Zool. 41 : 124. 



Type host. — So i was hudsonieus (Erx.) (red squirrel). 



Type Joeality. — Wilbraham. Mass. 



Range. — Known only from Massachusetts. 



This species is known from the original pair only, according to the 

 literature. It has not been rediscovered since its description. It is 

 separated from Epitedia wenmanni, its closest ally, by having the 

 posterior lobe of the process of the clasper higher than the anterior 

 and by the movable finger, which is not longer than the distance 

 from its base to the tip of the lower lobe of the clasper. 



