118 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



The next paper was by Mr. Schwarz, entitled : 



A NEW COCCINELLID ENEMY OF THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 

 By E. A. SCHWARZ. 



Mr. C. L. Marlatt who lately visited Southern California found 

 a small Coccinellid quite abundant on fruit trees infested by the 

 San Jose Scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus], and reports that it is 

 well known among the orchardists of Southern California as an 

 efficient enemy of that Coccid. From a study of specimens sub 

 mitted to me by Mr. Marlatt I find that they belong to the genus 

 Pseudoweisea Cockerell. These minute Coccinellids, originally 

 described by Dr. LeConte as Pentilia and subsequently referred 

 by J. Weise to his genus Smilia (the name changed to Epismilia 

 and finally to Pseudoweisea by Prof. Cockerell), all prey exclu 

 sively upon Diaspinas. In former years they were quite rare in 

 collections, but since economic entomologists have paid attention 

 to the enemies of imported Coccids, it was found that they are 

 in reality quite abundant. 



Pseudoweisea suturalis, n. sp. 



Rounded oval, convex; head and thorax nearly opaque, elytra shining. 

 Head, thorax, underside and legs black; elytra brownish red with the 

 suture narrowly black. Head but little wider than long, with the upper 

 surface flattened. Prothorax forming a distinct obtuse with the elytra, 

 oblique line at anterior angles distinct but not prolonged along the lateral 

 margin, basal marginal line distinct at the sides but very fine at the mid 

 dle, upper surface finely alutaceous and with sparse shallow larger punc 

 tures. Elytra not alutaceous, rather strongly but not densely punctured, 

 sutural stria distinct throughout, but very fine near the base. The black 

 color is usually confined to the narrow space between the suture and the 

 sutural striae. Length o.S to 0.9 mm. 



Type. No. 7936, U. S. National Museum. 



The National Museum has numerous specimens found by Mr. 

 F. Maskew at Long Beach, Los Angeles Co.. Cal., feeding on 

 Aspidiotus perniciosus ; and a long series of specimens bred by 

 Mr. D. W. Coquillett from larva? feeding on Aspidiotus aurantii 

 at Los Angeles, Cal. 



The species resembles in form of the body the eastern P. mi- 

 sell a ^ but its head is narrower and the coloration different. 

 More or less immature, or bred specimens have the sterna (ex 

 cepting the metepisterna), and the abdomen brownish or reddish. 



It may be that Mr. H. C. Fall's remarks on the occurrence of 

 P. (Smilia} ovalis Lee.,* refer to P. suturalis. The former 

 seems to be confined to the more southern parts of Florida and is 

 readily known from the more elongate form of the body. 



* Occas. Papers Cal. Ac. Sc., vm, p. 85. 1901. 



