[Infestation with Linognathus africanus (Kellogg e Paine, 1911) (Linognathidae) and Bovicola caprae (Ewing, 1936) (Trichodectidae) in goat flock of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

Mixed infestations with Linognathus africanus and Bovicola caprae were diagnosed in a lot of 20 goats from a flock of 40, belonging to a farm from the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (22 degrees 44'38''S and 43 degrees 42'27''W). Animals were of both sexes, varied ages and different breeds (half blood Saanen/Boer, Saanen, cross breeds), were examined in April of 2004. With an exception of one goat, parasitized only by L. africanus, the remainders 19 (95%) were infested by the two species lice. Of 69 (71%) specimens of L. africanus and 28 (28.9%) of B. caprae collected the ratio female:male for L. africanus were 4.6 (23:5), while for B. caprae were 4.8 (57:12). The absence of L. africanus in recent surveys carried out in the semi-arid regions of the Northeast Brazil where more the 60% of examined goats were parasitized by B. caprae suggests that the adaptation to the climatic variation might be different for the two species.