96 



Annals of the Transvaal Museum:. 



Female differs from the type species as follows: — Dorsal shield 

 {IV, a, c) longer than wide, 1.27 mm. long by 1.1 mm. wide, oval; 

 cervical and lateral grooves less marked ; punctuations finer, not so 

 deep, more numerous. Hairs not so numerous on the dorsal and 

 ventral surfaces (/!', a, h) \ anal groove with branches closer, and 

 forming an ellipse open behind. Rostrum {IV, c) not so strong, 

 0.7 mm. long (instead of 0.85 mm. as in piJosus) ; porose areas smaller, 

 not so deep, more widely separated. Ler/s much weaker, especially 

 the coxae. Colour generally orange red when young. 



Larra (unengorged) . — Body oval in outline, longer than wide, 

 widest behind coxae III: narrowed at both extremities; length 0.5 mm. 

 (including rostrum), width O.o mm. Shield wide, covers all anterior 

 half of body ; broadly rounded behind ; no anterior emargination for 

 insertion of rostrum; no cervical or marginal grooves; a few large pits 

 ;and spines present. Dorsal surface with seven grooves; no posterior 

 festoons, but a few very large hairs on the margin. \ entral surface 

 with three pairs of large spines in the median area between the coxae ; 

 :six large spines surrounding the anus, and several spines in the 

 postero-lateral areas; four posterior grooves; anus very far posterior; 

 anal grooves surrounding anus behind ; ano-marginal groo v^e 

 present. Rostrum with base much wider than long; triangular in 

 outline, with prominent lateral angles; inserted on a long neck, 

 articulated below the dorsal shield ; palpi long and slender, article 1 

 very small, article II constricted at the base, wide at the distal 

 extremity, twice as long as article III ; hypostome very long and 

 slender, with four rows of teeth, nine teeth to a row, the outer rows 

 Tery large and sharp, the inner rows small and blunt ; mandibles as 

 in female. Legs very slender: coxae small, rectangular, coxae I 

 with anterior angle prolonged so as to show on the dorsal side beyond 

 the shield; each coxa Avitli two posterior teeth, one on postero-lateral 

 angle, and one on the postero-median angle; tarsi long and slender. 



Eggs. — Dark brown in colour; surface smooth and shiny; 

 elliptical in outline; length 0.5 mm., width 0.25 mm. 



Hosts. — Dog, cat, hedgehog (Erinacevs frontalis) , bat {Ixhino- 

 lophus sjj.) 



Habitat. — Transvaal: Leydsdorp, Moodies (Barl)erton) , Pilands- 

 berg Mountains (Kustenburg District), Lenokana (Marico District), 

 Pienaars Eiver (Pretoria District), Zoutpansberg Mountains (Zout- 

 pans'herg District), Piet Retief ; Durban. 



The principal host of this tick seems to be the dog. Its complete 

 life history has not yet been observed; the adults usually occur more 

 abundantly on the head and shoulders of the dogs. It may prove to 

 be concerned in the transmission of piroplasinosis of the dog when 

 this question is fully worked out. In the Transvaal it is confined 

 to low and middle or bushveld, and has never yet been taken on 

 the extreme high grassy veld. As it also occurs at Durban, it will, 

 probably also be found all along the eastern coast of South Africa. 



