219 
DESCRIPTION. 
Egg (Pl. VI, fig. 4).—Length 0.2 millimeter, width 0.1 millimeter, regularly, 
bluntly oval, one side more convex, very pale lemon yellow, smooth, laid in two 
or three more or less regular concentric rows around the parent within the scale. 
This regular distribution necessitates a nearly complete rotation of the female 
around the point of insertion of the proboscis. This is accomplished by an undu- 
lating motion of the body and may be observed by placing the live insect upon a 
piece of glass, under the microscope. 
Larva (PI. VII, fig. 8).—Immediately after hatching the length is 0.25 millime- 
ter, the width 0.15 millimeter. Pale yellow, slightly lighter in color than egg. - 
Eyes dark red; antenne 5 jointed, slightly setose, last joint 3 times as long as 
the first 4; transversely, microscopically striate, biapical as shown by Plate VII, 
fig. 5, with a single seta from each apex; mouth two-fifths of distance from frontal 
to anal margin. Anal margin dentate, giving indication in both sexes of existence 
of pygidial lobes. These disappear in the male upon the second molt. Legs 
moderately long, femora somewhat stout. Tarsi single jointed with 2 knobbed 
spines on the dorsal margin. Proboscis about as long as the body. Four minute 
hairs project from the frontal and 2 from the anal margin of body, the anal 
being 4 times the length of the longest frontal. 
Male puparium.—Oblong-oval, pale, translucent, larval exuvie at center slightly 
darker, yellowish. Plate VII, fig. 3, shows the male puparium. 
Female puparium (Pl. VII, fig. 2).—Differs from male in being more nearly 
circular. Color as in male. Larval exuvie at or slightly removed from the 
center. Darker than the scale itself, yellowish. 
Signoret’s description * is very meager. It is as follows: 
“The scale is round, of a transparent white, with the exuvie at the center, and 
of a yellowish transparent white. — 
The female is yellow, round; the extremity with six lobes, of which the two 
median are shortest; the pygidium with four groups of wax glands of eight to 
ten orifices in each [group] agglomeration.” 
He says further concerning the insect: “This species appears to cause great 
damage to coconut groves in the Island of Réunion, where they are menaced with 
complete destruction. The scale is also found on palms and dates. We have found 
it likewise on Goyavius psidium |Psidium guayava| which we received in the same 
package.” 
It will be seen that Signoret’s description is not sufficiently detailed to differen- 
tiate this scale from other very similar ones, as he makes no mention of the 
squames, their number, and arrangement, which, for example, is a very important 
point in distinguishing Aspidiotus destructor Sign., from A. latanie Sign. The 
following description has been prepared from fresh material: 
Adult female (PI. VII, fig. 2) Length 0.80-0.90 millimeter, width 0.65-0.75 mil- 
limeter, bright pale-yellow, broadly oval, nearly cireular, narrowed posteriorly, 
with slight emargination at the base of the pygidium, which is only slightly paler; 
posterior margin, whitish creamy, due to waxy secretions; two submedian white 
spots on each side of the genital aperture show the position of the circumgenital 
glands, the posterior of which have 4 to 5 apertures, the anterior 7 to 9. Anterior 
margin of the body regularly rounded, abdominal segmentation laterally distinct. 
Antenne, small, oval knobs with inwardly curving bristles at the apex, situated 
one-third of the distance from the frontal margin to the rostrum. Between the 
*Ann. Soc. Ent. de France (1869), (4). 9, 120; Plate XII, figs. 8 and 8a. 
Translation. 
