Pocket gophers and their lice - a study in host/parasite relationships

A brief survey is given of our past and present knowledge of the distribution of pocket gophers and their only mallophagan parasites (Trichodectes: Geomydoecus). Emphasis is then placed on the lice found on the Thomomys bottae-umbrinus gopher complex of the western and southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Recent extensive collections of Geomydoecus from over 90 of the 200-plus subspecies of these hosts have resulted in interesting geographical delineations of eight species of Geomydoecus, these not necessarily following what might be anticipated from the present host classification.