FLEAS AND LICE ON SCRUB HARES (LEPUS-SAXATILIS) IN SOUTH-AFRICA

A total of 380 scrub hares (Lepus saxatilis) from 5 localities, rangin g from the north-eastern Transvaal to the eastern and the south-wester n Cape Province of South Africa, were examined for fleas and lice. Cte nocephalides felis damarensis was almost exclusively responsible for t he flea infestations on hares at 4 of the 5 sites. At 4 localities the prevalence and abundance of this flea reached peaks between August an d October and declined thereafter to their lowest levels between Febru ary and April. Its prevalence and abundance in the north-eastern Trans vaal were not correlated with the breeding cycle of the hares in this region. The 2 louse species recovered, sometimes sympatrically, were H aemodipsus lyriocephalus and Haemodipsus setoni. Listrophorus leporico lus was the only mite species recovered.