Polyplax brachyrrhyncha (Anoplura: Polyplacidae) and Rhipicephalus turanicus (Ixodidae: Rhipicephalinae) in an Ancient Louse Comb

Kosta Y. Mumcuoglu, Naama Sukenik, Guy Bar-Oz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A fine-Toothed comb found in the Judean Desert and resembling an ancient louse comb was examined. Based on radiocarbon dating, it ranged between 1660 AD and 1950 AD. From the material accumulated between the teeth, an oribatid mite, a pseudoscorpion, exuviae of beetle larvae, a sucking louse (Polyplax brachyrrhyncha Cummings, 1915), as well as a fully engorged larva and a nymph of the ixodid tick Rhipicephalus turanicus Pomerantzev, 1936 were recorded. Additionally, the comb included numerous hairs of a spiny mouse (Acomys sp.). Although finding mites, beetle larvae, and a pseudoscorpion on a louse comb could be regarded as contamination, the findings of P. brachyrrhyncha, as well as of a larva and nymph of R.Turanicus, are noteworthy. We hypothesize that the presence of animal lice and ticks could indicate some sort of pet grooming.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1021-1024
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Medical Entomology
Volume57
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 4 Jul 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].

Keywords

  • Acomys sp
  • Polyplax brachyrrhyncha
  • Rhipicephalus turanicus
  • louse comb

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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