160 



Transactions. 



This insect, differs so much from all the known species of the genus 

 Conchaspis that I have thought it best to place it under an entirely new 

 genus for the present. Mr. Green,* in his book " Coccidae of Ceylon," 

 diagnoses the genus Conchaspis as follows : " Scale elevated, more or less 

 circular ; adult female retaining feet and antennae, the latter of few joints ; 

 genital aperture without setiferous ring ; mentum biarticulate ; terminal 

 segments of body united into a piece somewhat resembling the pygidium 

 of the Diaspinae." Out of these seven characteristics of the genus Con- 

 chaspis two very important ones do not agree, and these are the elevated 

 scale and the non-setiferous ring. In S. fimbriata the scale is flat and glassy, 

 and appears like a Ctenochiton ; the anal ring has 6 hairs, and the antennae 

 have 6 joints, instead of 4 as in the genus Conchaspis, In fact, the insect 

 appears to have a connection with the Diaspinae, with its definite pygidium ; 

 the Ctenochiton, with its glassy fringed scale ; and the Dactylopinae, with 

 its prominent anal lobes and setiferous ring. 



Subfam. Dactylopinae. 



Genus Cryptococcus Douglas. 



Cryptococcus nudata sp. nov. Figs. 11-14. 



Adult female naked ; globular ; colour light yellow ; rostrum small, 

 mentum biarticulate, rostral setae medium length ; spiracles 4, large and 

 oval, with a circular ring of glands round opening ; rudimentary antennae 

 with 2 or 3 short hairs ; anterior and intermediate pair of legs absent, 

 posterior pair atrophied and represented merely by a short protuberance ; 

 anal ring large, compound, with 6 short hairs, and surrounded by what 

 appears to be a broad chitinous plate, on which there are 6 short hairs 



12 



13 



Fig. 11. — Abdominal segment, showing anal ring and chitinous plate. 



„ 12. — Spiracle of adult female. 



„ 13. — Rudimentary antennae of adult female. 



„ 14. — Rudimentary leg of adult female. 



— three on each side of the anal ring ; abdominal lobes absent ; dermis 

 with a few minute hairs scattered over it. The dorsal surface of the 

 abdomen appears to be more chitinized than the rest of the body. Length, 

 about 0*7 mm. 



Larva and adult male unknown. 



Hab.- — On Hoheria sp., Cashmere Hills, Christchurch. 



" Coccidae of Ceylon,' vol. 1, p. 19. 



