Mallophaga from South African Birds. Descriptions of a New Genus (Neomenopon) and Two New Species (Machaerilaemus plocei, Neomenopon pteroclubus)

Abstract

The species herein described both belong to the family Menoponidae. One of these species, collected by me from a Waxbill (a passerine bird) at Onderstepoort, Pretoria, belongs to the genus Machaerilaemus Harrison, the other, taken from a Sandgrouse in the Rustenburg District, Transvaal, by Mr Powell, together with specimens of a species of Degeeriella, I am placing in a new genus, for which I propose the name Neomenopon. These two new species are extremely interesting, in that they both possess a chitinous framework extending backwards from the anterior margin of the head for the support of the mandibles, a structure previously only known to occur in the genus Eomenopon Harrison, which was established partly on account of this structure. A similar structure, however, also occurs in a small unidentified species of Menopon taken from a Little Banded Goshawk (Astur polyzonoides) at Onderstepoort. This species may eventually prove to be sufficiently distinct in other details from the type of Menopon to warrant the founding of a new genus for its reception.