A new species of the genus Polyplax of Anoplura (Phthiraptera: Polyplacidae).

Polyplax qiuae sp. nov.Female: Body length 0.97—1.23(1.01)mm. Head as long as broad. Postantennal angles rounded, with the genal margin slightly arched and converging toward occiput. Ventrally the gular area broad and prominent. Basal segment of antennae enlarged. Thorax with large shield-shaped thoracic plate, with its anterior margin straight and the sides parallet, The posterior protrusion broad with the end truncate. Abodomen rather long, with two sclerotized plates both dorsally and ventrally on segments Ⅳ—Ⅶ, the anterior ones narrower. Dorsally, setae on segment Ⅱ of different lengths alternatively arranged, and, with the last ones on the row short peg-like. Paratergal plates Ⅳ—Ⅵ elongate triangular with tips of posterior lateral angles tri-or bi-cuspid. Setae nearly equal, about half the length of the plate bearing them. Those on paratergite Ⅶ shorter than those of paratergite Ⅷ.Male: Body length 0.67—0.90(0.80)mm. The third segment of antennae being highly modified, with its anterior margin strongly protruded to form a long hook-llke protrusion, with its tip tricuspid and with two strong stetae. Thoracic sternal plate as the female, but with its anterior margin slightly convex out. Abdomen shorter, with two tergites on segmest Ⅱ. Setae on second plate with eleven setae of different length alternatively arranged. Segments Ⅲ—Ⅶ each with one tergite and witha row of setae of different lengths arranged in certain patern. Segments Ⅱ and Ⅲ each with two sternites and segments Ⅳ—Ⅶ one each. External genitalia with short parameres and long posterior arm of pseudopenis not wrapped between them.Speimens: Holotype ♀ and allotype (?) from Phodopus sungorus Pallas (84040), Hebei: Kanbao; paraptypes 4♀♀ 1(?), same record as holotype; 3♀♀, 3(?), same record as holotype (host No. 840022); 2(?), 5 nymphs, same kind of host, all from Nei Mongol: Sai-han-tala-1(?) from Phodopus roborovskii Satunin(84052), Nei Mongol: Ala-shan Qi, I nymph, similar host (84050) Nei Mongol: Wula-te Qi. All collected off pelts of the hamsters by Miss Qiu Xie Li May 28, June 6, 1984. 2♀♀ from P. roborovskii (00214, and 00216), Xingjiang: subrb of Haba He, Apr. 28, 1989 of Xingjiang Institute for Endemie Diseases Control and Research. All specimens are diposted in the Department of Parasitology, Guiyang Medical College Guiyang, except those from Xingjiang wich are deposited in the Xingjiang Institute for Endemie Diseases Control and Research, Urumqi.Three species of sucking lice of the genus Polyplax have been reported from hamsters, i.e. P. dentaticornis Ewing off Cricetulus longicaudatus, P. plesia Johnson off Mastromys albicau- dus and P. calomysci Kim et Emerson off Callomyscus baiwrdi. The new species, Polyplax qiuae Chin is readily distinguishable from P.dentaicornis and P. calomysci by the setae on the fourth paratergite being almost equal in legth. It further differs from P. plesia and P calomysci in the almost straight anterior margin of the thoracic sternal plate and its truncated posterior protrusion. The parameres of the male being smaller and articulating with the basal apodeme at the middle and the long posterior process of the pseudopenis not wrapped bet-The new species is named after the collector Miss Qiu Xue-li.