Polyplax spinulosa (Burmeister)

Reeves, Will K., Durden, Lance A., Ritzi, Christopher M., Beckham, Katy R., Super, Paul E & Oconnor, Barry M., 2007, Ectoparasites and other ectosymbiotic arthropods of vertebrates in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, Zootaxa 1392, pp. 31-68 : 35

Polyplax spinulosa (Burmeister) —spined rat louse

Ex Rattus norvegicus ( Norway rat): 3F, TN, Sevier Co., Little River Rd., 0.8 miles West of Elkmont turnoff, 27 Dec. 2003, K. Langdon, L­3285.

The spined rat louse parasitizes domestic rats ( Rattus spp.) throughout the world ( Durden & Musser 1994) but this is the first record of it from the Park. This louse is vector of Rickettsia typhi and Haemobartonella muris (Durden 2002, Roberts & Janovy 2000) and might be a vector of “ Bartonella rattimassiliensis ” to rats ( Reeves et al 2006a).