The Hoplopleurid Lice of the Indian Subcontinent (Anoplura: Hoplopleuridae)

Records of the zoological survey of India,  Miscellaneous publication Occasional Paper No. 21

This study deals with the Anoplura (sucking lice) belonging to the family Hoplopleuridae Ferris. This is the largest family under the order  Anoplura and is commonly found on the hosts belonging to orders Insectivora, Lagomorpha, and Rodentia. A total of 39 species including 4 new species, belonging to 8 genera under 3 subfamilies have so far been recorded from this sub-continent. The systematics of all the species recorded is revised, furnished \vith necessary illustrations and presented in a consolidated form. Keys for the identification of the subfamilies, genera and species have beell provided to facilitate identification. The host-parasite associations and the antiquity of hoplopleurid lice are  discussed in the light of available information on evolutionary trends among the hosts.