Two New Species of Sucking Lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Hoplopleuridae and Polyplacidae) from Grant's Rock Mouse, Micaelamys granti, in South Africa

Abstract

Two new species of sucking lice (Phthiraptera: Anoplura), Hoplopleura granti n. sp. (Hoplopleuridae) and Polyplax megacephalus n. sp. (Polyplacidae), are described from Grant's rock mouse, Micaelamys granti (Wroughton), from Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Adults of both sexes are illustrated via line drawings and differential interference contrast microscopy images, and are compared with previously described related species that parasitize related hosts: Hoplopleura patersoni Johnson from Aethomys chrysophilus (de Winton) (red veld rat), Aethomys kaiseri (Noack) (Kaiser's aethomys), and Micaelamys namaquensis (A. Smith) (Namaqua rock mouse); Hoplopleura aethomydis Kleynhans from M. namaquensis; Polyplax praomydis Bedford from A. chrysophilus and M. namaquensis; and Polyplax solivaga Johnson from A. chrysophilus. It is not known if these new species of lice are vectors of any pathogens.

Keywords: Hoplopleura granti; Micaelamys granti; Polyplax megacephalus; Phthiraptera; Anoplura; Grant's Rock Mouse; New Species; South Africa.