o 



Maskell. — On Coccididse. 139 



Group COCCIDIN^. 



Subdivision ACANTHOCOCCID^. 



Genus Solenophora,'^ gen. nov. 



Female insect constructing a test which is prolonged, 

 either at or near the abdominal extremity, in a hollow pipe or 

 spout ; apodous Nvhen adult ; anal tubercles present and 

 prominent. 



The clearly distinct anal tubercles of both the insects 

 about to be described fix the position of this genus in the 

 Acanthococcidce . In one species the pellicle of the second 

 stage is employed as part of the adult test, as in the Lecanid 

 genus Lccanochiton, mihi ; but, as this does not seem to be the 

 case in the other species, I cannot found a generic distinction 

 on it. In S. fagi the female of the second stage is undoubt- 

 edly apodous, like the adult ; and probably this is the case 

 also with S. corokke; but I have not been able to satisfy myself 

 entirely as to this latter, and therefore have left this character 

 also out of the generic description. Should the two insects, 

 however, hereafter prove to be equally apodous in the second 

 stage, the character will become generically important. 



The tube or spout which forms the peculiar feature of this 

 genus is rather a puzzle. I can only guess that it has some 

 sexual function for facilitating the access of the male ; yet it is 

 not easy to see the necessity for it, even for that purpose. For 

 many other Coccids in the genera — for example, Mi/tilasjns, 

 Ctcnochiton, Planchonia — are just as well shut in and protected 

 as SolcnopJiora, and yet have no such peculiar appendage. 

 But, if it has not a sexual function, it is not easy to make out 

 what other object the tube can serve. In the Australian group 

 of the Brachyscelidai the males of some species are found to 

 inhabit small pipes springing from the galls formed by the 

 adult females : sometimes a dozen or more are attached to a 

 single gall. But in Solenophora fagi the male pupa inhabits 

 a felted cylindrical sac quite distinct from the female test ; the 

 presence of the tube is therefore not clearly intelligible. 



Solenophora fagi, sp. nov. Plate V., figs. 1-18. 



Adult female brown, or sometimes inclining to purple ; 

 somewhat pegtop-shaped; length about o^jin. ; the median 

 region very convex dorsally, with somewhat flattened edges ; 

 ventral surface flat. Covered by a shield or test of an elongate- 

 conical form, or limpet-shaped, of which the apex is occupied 

 by the pellicle of the second stage, the remainder being waxy ;. 

 colour of test brownish-yellow, the pellicle darker and rather 

 shiny ; test marked with very fine concentric horizontal lines, 

 and a few vertical striae, of which four are usually whitish ;. 



' Gr. (tioXtjv = a tube or spout. 



