ARGAS 



There is, however, some doubt as to whether Caris is really 

 entitled to be a separate genus. 



Argas Latreille, 1796. 



Synonyms.— AT'^c Argas Seoul, 1835; Carois Latreille, 1796; 

 Rhynchoporion Hermann, 1804; Caris Latreille, 1806. 



Definition. — ^Argasidae with oval or flattened bodies, in which the 

 rostrum is at least its own length from the anterior margin, which 

 is less bluntly rounded than the posterior margin. No fold present 

 around the base of the rostrum ventrally. Tegument roughened 

 by wrinkles and folds, and marked by circular pits. Without eyes. 



Type. — Argas reflexus Fabric ius, 1794. 



The number of species known is steadily increasing. The more 

 important can be defined by the following table, modified from 

 Neumann : — 



A. Posterior margin with rectangular festoons — A. persicus. 



B. Posterior margin with narrow festoons: — 



I. Tegument with fine folds, body long, swollen — A. her- 

 manni. 



11. Tegument with large folds, body flat : — 

 (a) Body narrower in front : — 



(1) Anterior extremity flat and rounded — A. re- 



flexus. 



(2) Anterior extremity pointed: — 



{a) With deep camerostome and dorsal 



hexagonal markings — A . hrumpti. 

 [h) Without these — A.csqualis. 

 (P) Body almost as large in front as behind : — 



(1) Body short, a little longer than broad — 



A. transgariepinus. 



(2) Body twice as long as broad — A. cucumerinus. 



Argas reflexus Fabricius, 1794. 



Synonyms. — Acarus reflexus Fabricius, 1794; A. marginatus 

 Fabricius, 1794 ; Rhynchoporion columhce Hermann, 1804. 



Argas with yellowish body; male 4 by 3 millimetres, female 

 6 to 8 by 4 millimetres. Its distribution is mainly in Europe and 

 America, where it lives in dovecots; but it can and does attack man, 

 producing the symptoms already described. 



Argas persicus Oken, 1818. 



Synonyms. — Rhynchoporion persicum Oken, 1818; Argas persicus 

 Fischer de Waldheim, 1820; A. mauritianus Guerin-Meneville ; A. 

 miniatus Koch, 1844; A. americanus Packard, 1872; A. sanchezi 

 Duges, 189 1 ; A. chinche Gondet. 



Argas with oval, brownish-red body. Male, 4 to 5 by 3 milli- 

 metres; female, 7 to 10 by 5 f o 6 millimetres. Dorsal and ventral 

 surfaces with pits in rows, and irregularly placed. 



