Euschoengastia blarinae (Ewing)

Pickens Co., Clemson, 14 December 2003, ex Blarina brevicauda, coll. K.D. Cobb.

In the eastern third of North America, Euschoengastia blarinae is a widely distributed ectoparasite of shrews including B. brevicauda, Sorex cinereus Kerr, Sorex fumeus Miller, and S. longirostris Bachman; an exception was the type specimen taken from a rodent, Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque) (Moore 1949; Wharton & Fuller 1952; Farrell 1956). Farrell (1956) wrote “The type host was given as Blarina brevicauda . However, the label on the type slide (USNM 1018) bears the host name Peromyscus leucopus . There is the possibility of confusion in labeling.” Larvae of E. blarinae are active year round except in June (Farrell 1956).