208 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Genus Diaspis, Costa. 



Diaspis pinnulifera, Maskell. N.Z. Trans., vol.xxiii., 1890, 

 p. 4. 



Mr. J. W. Douglas has sent me some insects, clearly be- 

 longing to this species, on Croton sp., from Demerara. They 

 agree closely with my specimens from Fiji in the very small 

 number of orifices in the groups of spinnerets, and in the two 

 feathery processes on the abdominal margin immediately 

 beyond the lobes. 



Diaspis (?) fimbriata, sp. nov. Plate XL, figs. 4-6. 



Female puparium circular, flat, very thin and papery, 

 whitish or grey or brownish; pellicles subcentral, yellow or 

 greenish. Diameter of puparium averaging about xV 11 * 



Male puparium unknown. 



Adult female yellow, elongated ; the cephalic region rather 

 large, separated from the rest by a distinct groove ; the 

 abdominal segments tapering posteriorly, and conspicuously 

 segmented. Length of female, about T V m - Abdomen ending in 

 six small lobes, not adjacent, the two median ones being rather 

 larger than the rest. Margin of abdomen without any median 

 depression, minutely crenulated, and bearing conspicuous broad, 

 scaly hairs with serrated extremities, forming a fringe ; two of 

 these are between the median lobes, two on each side between 

 the median and the next lobes, three between the second and 

 third lobes, and about ten beyond. Between the fringe and 

 the last distinct abdominal segment there are a few spines. 

 The pygidium exhibits four groups of spinnerets ; in each 

 group there are from ten to fourteen orifices ; a large number 

 of single spinnerets. 



Adult male unknown. 



Hab. In Australia, on Eugenia smithii. My specimens 

 were sent by Mr. Koebele from Sydney. 



I believe that this insect is here correctly assigned to the 

 genus Diaspis, although, in the absence of the male puparium, 

 I do not positively assert it. I know of no Aspidiotus which 

 has such an elongated form ; and, indeed, the insect in its 

 general shape resembles very much Diaspis rosa, Sandberg, 

 though it differs entirely from that species not only in colour, 

 but principally in the absence of a medial terminal depression, 

 in the six abdominal lobes, and in the scaly fringe. As for Par- 

 latoria, the case is different, and the fringe might possibly make 

 it approach that genus. But here, again, the form is much 

 more elongated than that of any Parlatoria Known to me. 

 P. proteus, Curtis, varies somewhat, but never seems to get 

 beyond an oval form, and all the specimens which I have seen 

 of it agree with Signoret's statement that it is " widest pos- 



