A new flea from Kerguelen-Island

Body elongate, of a yellowish brown colour. The inclination of the upper surface of the head commences immediately in front of its hind margin; on a level with the first joint of the antennae this inclination suddenly increases. In front of the point of insertion of the maxillary palpi the head forms an inconspicuous tooth-like projection. The joints of the maxillary palpi are of about the same length. The triangular maxillae are pointed and rather long. The groove for the antennae is so situated that its hind margin divides the lateral surface of the head into an equal anterior and posterior half. The eye, which is comparatively light coloured, is situated very low, touching the inferior border of the head. The antennae are very similar to those of Pulex globiceps Tschb., only the strong bristles on the upper margin of the second joint are absent. The thoracical segments are rather broad. The legs slender, with narrow tarsal joints; they carry numerous spines and are covered with a dense pubescence. The latter is also uncommonly dense on the rest of the body and therefore very characteristic for this species. On the dorsal plate of each abdominal segment there is a slightly curved row of longer bristles close to the posterior margin and in front of it a large number of shorter hairs which are arranged in 5—6 irregular longitudinal rows. This is similarly repeated on the ventral plates; only the hairs are not quite so numerous, though very numerous still in comparison to other species. The pubescence is especially dense on the inferior and posterior surface of the last segments. There are 3—5 more or less regular rows of bristles on the thoracical segments as on the abdomen. The head too is similarly provided with a large number of short hairs, which are everywhere of a light colour. The adhesive disk at the apex of the abdomen in the male is very large and semiovate, and provided at its free margin with rather long bristles, which are very regularly placed. The thick first tarsal joint of the fore legs is of the same length as the fifth joint, which however is much more slender; the second joint is not considerably shorter than the first or fifth, the third somewhat shorter than the second, and the fourth again a little shorter than the third. The second tarsal joint of the middle legs is equal in length to the fifth, and to the third and fourth together; the first joint is somewhat longer. The first tarsal joint of the hind legs surpasses the second by a third of its length, the third and fourth together are somewhat shorter than the second, and the fifth somewhat longer and more slender than the third.