Studies on Chinese Anoplura IV. The description of two new species and proposal of new families and new suborder for the lice of Typhlomys cinereus Milne-Edwards

The pig-tail rat, Typhlomys cinereus Milne-Edwards, one of the two species of the rodent family Platacanthomyidae, has a limited distribution in China and in Viet Nam. It is an insectivore-like rodent with velvet fur and small eyes but with larger ears and a tufted long tail. It is confined in certain locali- ties in Fujian, Guizhou and Guangxi, and is somewhat rare. In a study of its ectoparasites, we found almost all the main groups of arthropod parasites are peculiar and have to establish new genera for them, However, because of their strict host specificity, its lice are even more wonderful and two mew families and a new suborder are here reported. 1. Typhlomyophthirus bifoliatus Chin, gen. et sp. nov. Generic diagnosis: Antenna similar in two sexes, 5-segmented, with the first segment larger and the second segment narrower at its base; and with sensilium on the last two segments. Mesothoracic phragma distinct. Forelegs small, midlegs larger and hindlegs the largest, with very broad flattened claw. Thoracic sternal plate pressent. Tergal plate of abdominal segment Ⅷ narrow, divided at the middle and extended laterally to articulate with- the corresponding paratergal plate. Sternal plate of abdominal segment Ⅱ divid- ed longitudinally into two lateral plates with their antero-lateral angle articu- luted with corresponding paratergal plates. Paratergal plates present on segmen- ts Ⅱ- Ⅷ with those on segments Ⅱ-Ⅷ divided into dorsal and ventral lobes by a narrow membranous middle portion. Six pairs of spiracles on segments Ⅳ-Ⅷ. Male with one plate and one row of setae on each abdominal segment both dorsally and ventrally. The tergal plate of segment Ⅵ with its postero- lateral angles drawn into a long process with strong spur-like sera on its tip pointed dorsally. Female with two plates on segments Ⅳ- Ⅵ and dorsally both ventrally, the anterior being broader than the posterior, each with three rows of setae except segment Ⅳ, with only two rows. Segments Ⅶ and Ⅷ with 1 tergal plate and segment Ⅷ 1 sternal plate only. Type species: Typhlomyophthirus bifoliatus Chin, gen. et sp. nov. Species diagnosis as above and is characterized by its two large modified leaf-like setae in relation to the second abdominal sternal plate af segment Ⅶ, hence the name bi- two and folia, leaf. This new louse reminds us the genus Ancistroplax from Sir Lanka, the 6th tergal plate of which possesses a strong hook-like sera at each of the posterior lateral angles. The genera Ancistroplax Waterston, Schizophthirus Ferris and Haematopinoides Osborn share with the new gneus Typhlorayophthirus Chin the splited second sternal plate. But their diferences are distinct. Ⅰ, hereupon, propose to rais, the subfamily Haematopinoidinae as defined by Kim and Ludwig 1978 to family rank and leave the family Hoplopleuridae to contain only those genera which infest typical rodents. It is very interesting that although Typhlomys cinereus had been classified under Muscardinidae, yet its sucking louse Typhlomyophthirus gen. nov. is more closely related to the genus Ancistroplax of Crocidura, an soricid insecti- yore than Schizophthirus, the only anopluron genus infesting and specific to muscardinids. 2. Mirophthirus liae Chin gen. et sp. nov. Generic diagnosis. Phthiraptera with sucking mouthparts. Head short and broad, extending laterally behind antenna. Antenna five segmented, similar in two sexes, with the distal end of segment Ⅱ possessing a large, strong, hook- like spur. Thorax short and broad with only the middle portion of pronotum and mesonotum, and the pror and meso-sternites fused. A pair of thoracic spi- racles present on mesonotum. All legs slender, with the anterior pair very small, hidden under the head, their coxae close to each other, located between and at the level of midcoxae. The mid-and hindlegs extending far from the body, with the midlegs the longest and the span between their claws equaling to body length. Hindlegs smaller than the middles. All tarsi small, each with a small claw. Abdominal segments Ⅱ-Ⅶ each with one plate both dorsally and ventrally, and with a row of setae at its hind margin. Paratergal plates present on segments Ⅱ-Ⅷ, all with two posterior marginal setae except segment Ⅲ bearing three; in addition, two or three minute setae posterior to the spiracle on paratergal plates Ⅲ-Ⅵ. Spiracles on segments Ⅲ-Ⅷ, all but the 8th with a round, deeply colored, heavily sclerotized sinus closely behind each of them. Females with gonopods. Tgpe species. Mirophthirus line Chin, gen. et sp. nov. Species diagnosis as above. This species is named after my wife, Professor Li Kuei-Chen, Siphonapteralogist, who in forty years has encouraged and help- ed me in my work and is also the collector of these woderful lice. Mire- wonderful, phthirus louse. This peculiar louse is a wonderful discovery. Its incompletely fused thora- cic segments, the broadened head with antennae armed on the second segments, the broadened thorax with its long and slender legs and the characters of the paratergal plates, all distinguish it from anopluron lice. Therefore Ⅰ am oblig- -ed to erect a new suborder, Protmoplura and new family, Mirophthiridae to make it of the same toxon level with suborders Ischnocera, Amblycera, Rhychophthirina and Anoplura in the order Phthiraptera. It seems to me that the Protanoplura is an offshoot early from the main stem of evolution of the Anoplura, if not its direct ancestry. And it has held certain primitive characters as it remains on its host, the remot pig tail rat. The Typhlonys, an aberrent form among the rodents might also be diverged early from the ancestrial rodent. The Ancistroplax and the Typhlomyophthirus are so nearly related that it might not be too risky to consider the close rela- tionship between the pig tail rat and the mush shrew. Infestation of the genus Ancistroplax on crocidurid insectivores should be considered as primary instead of being secondary.