THE GEOMYDOECUS (MALLOPHAGA: TRICHODECTIDAE) OF THE SOUTHEASTERN USA POCKET GOPHERS (RODENTIA: GEOMYIDAE)' Roger D. Price Department of Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 ABSTRACT — Descriptions, illustrations, and distributions are given for Geonujdoecus scleritus (McGregor) and the new species, G. mobilensis (type-host: Geomtjs pinetis mobilensis). These represent the only lice known to occur on the Geomys of the southeastern USA. Price and Emerson (1971), in a revision of the genus Geomydoecus Ewing, 1929, recognized the single louse species, G. scleritus (Mc-Gregor, 1917), as occurring on all 8 species and subspecies of the southeastern USA pocket gophers. Since then I have studied additional material from these hosts and have concluded that a new species is represented by those lice from Geomys pinetis rnohilemis Merriam. It is my intent here to redescribe and illustrate G. scleritus and then to describe the closely-related new species. In the following descriptions, measured or counted characters are followed by the minimum and maximum observed values, and, in parentheses, the sample size, mean, and standard de\ iation. All measurements are in millimeters. I would like to thank Mr. Ronald A. Hellenthal, Department of Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife, for making his computer programs available to me and for aiding in the statistical analysis of my material; the University of Minnesota University Computer Center for a computer time grant and the use of its facili-ties; and Dr. K. C. Emerson, Arlington, Virginia, for the loan of pertinent specimens. Geomydoecus scleritus (McGregor) Fig. 1-5 Male: Unknown. Female: As in fig. 1. Head width, 0.40-0.45 (37:0.432 ± 0.0113); head length, 0.28-0.32 (36:0.303 ± 0.0095); submarginal and marginal temple setae (STS, MTS: fig. 2) each 0.025-0.035 long, with STS variably anterior to some-what lateral of MTS. Prothorax width, 0.29-0.34 (.37:0.315 ± 0.0118). Meta-notum with from 2 -|-2 very long setae each side, as shown in fig. 1, to 2 -f 1, 1 + 2, or 1 + 1. Tergal setae: I, 2; II, 10-14 (37: 12.3 ± 0.87 ); III, 16-20 (37:17.8 ± 1.04); IV, 17-25 (38:20.0 ± 1.46); V, 15-21 (37:18.3 ± 1.40); VI, 13-18 (38:15.6 ± 1.48); tergal and pleural setae on VII, 19-26 (37: 22.4 ±1.57). Longest seta of medial 10 on tergite VI, 0.065-0.090 (38: 0.083 ±0.0054) long; on tergite VII, 0.115-0.140 (37:0.124 ± 0.0059), with 5-8 (82:7.2 ±0.88) of these longer than 0.10 (fig. 5) (41 .specimens with 8, ' Paper No. 8505, Scientific Journal Series, Minnesota Agricultural E.xperiinent Station, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101. 61
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