88 MISC. PUBLICATION 5 0, IT. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



The Genus Hystrichopsylla Taschenberg 



(Fig. 10, F) 



Hystrichopsylla Taschenberg, 1880, Die Flohe, p. 83. Type, Pulcx talpae Curtis 

 (by original designation). 



Genal comb consisting of at least 5 long, slender spines. Eyes vestigial or 

 absent. Labial palpus consisting of 5 segments. Pronotum with a comb con- 

 sisting of many long, slender spines. Abdominal tergal plates II, III, and IV 

 with rows of apical spines. Antepygidial bristles present. Females with 2 

 receptacula seminis. Fifth tarsal segment of each leg armed with 5 pairs of 

 lateral plantar bristles, without a basal ventral pair. Length, 4 to 8 mm. 



This genus is represented in North America by three species. 



Hystrichopsylla gigas gigas (Kirby) 



Pul ex gigas Kirby, 1837, Fauna Boreali-Americana 4: 318. 

 Hystrichopsylla gigas Jordan, 1929, Novitates Zool. 35: 174. 



Type host. — Unknown. 



Type locality. — Boreal America. "Two specimens taken in Lat. 

 "65°." 



Range. — This subspecies is known only from the type locality. 



The identity of this species has remained doubtful because of the 

 inadequate original description, which consists of a paragraph on the 

 coloration and an illustration in colors of a large flea with a prom- 

 inent genal comb and conspicuous abdominal spines. Largely on the 

 basis of the great size indicated in the description, Baker (#, p. 163) 

 referred a flea now known to be Tamiophila grcmdis (Rothschild) to 

 this species, and the mistake was repeated by Baker (4, p. 1$1) in 

 1904 and Stewart {72, p. 860) in 1928. Jordan (1929), however, clari- 

 fied the situation by pointing out that the genal comb in Kirby's 

 illustration is more like that of a Hystrichopsylla than anything else. 

 Jordan writes that — 



It is, therefore, bigbly probable, that Pnlrx gigas is the same flea as Hystrichop- 

 sylla dippiei Roths. 1900 from Calgary, Alberta. However, before establishing 

 the synonymy, it would be advisable to wait for material from the North of 

 Alberta and to treat H. dippiei and II. gigas for the present as subspecies of one 

 species, of which the name would be H. gigas. 



Hystrichopsylla gigas dippiei Rothschild 



(Fig. 10. F) 



Hystrichopsylla dippiei Rothschild, 1902, Ent Rec. and Jour. Variation 14: 63, 

 fig. 2. 



Cotype hosts. — Mustela longicauda (Bonap.) (weasel) and "Lutre- 

 ola energamos" (mink). 



Cotype localities. — Alberta; Chilliwack, British Columbia. 



Range. — Western part of the United States and Canada. 



The original description of this subspecies is accompanied by a 

 figure of the male terminalia. 



Hystrichopsylla gigas tahavuana Jordan 



Hystrichopsylla gigas tahavuana Jordan, 1929, Novitates Zool. 35: 173, fig. 8 



Type host. — Microtus penmylvanicus (Ord) (meadow mouse). 

 Type locality. — Adirondack Mountains, N. Y. 



