Aspidiotus. 47 



ASPIDIOTUS OSBECKI^, Gree7t. 



(Plate VII.) 



Aspidiotus osbeckics^ Green, 'Catalogue of Coccidae,' Ind. Mus. Notes, Vol. IV 



No. I (1896). 



Female puparium convex ; normally circular {fig. 9), but by crowding the 

 scales often become oblong {fig. 10), or of irregular outline. Colour brownish, 

 paler at margin, opaque ; tint varying with that of the bark upon which it rests, 

 and partly due to the incorporation of loose fibrous matter from the bark itself. 

 Pellicles slightly eccentric ; yellow or reddish, usually obscured by a layer of 

 secretion ; a small boss in centre of first pellicle. Ventral scale obsolete, appear- 

 ing as a whitish scar on the bark after the removal of the insect. Diameter 

 about I 50 mm. 



Male puparium {fig. 6) similar to that of female, but more oblong ; breadth 

 less than half length. Size averaging r3o by 0*50 mm. 



Adult female {figs. 11 to 14), pale yellow, darkening with age; pygidium, 

 tinged with reddish brown. Before gestation broadly oval ; margin more or 

 less distinctly lobed ; abdominal segments well defined. After gestation the 

 abdominal segments contract, carrying the pygidium upwards, until it is over- 

 lapped by the sides of the thorax {fig. 13). Antenna? rudimentary, but more 

 conspicuous than in many species, the tubercle being very prominent, unequally 

 dilated at extremity, with a depression near the summit and a stout curved hair 

 from the base {fig. 16). No parastigmatic glands. Pygidium {fig. 15) with six 

 tricuspid lobes ; mesal lobes largest ; third pair very small ; margin between 

 lobes broadly incised. Squames deeply incised and fringed, two between each 

 lobe, and two to four beyond, the latter sometimes almost obsolete. Spines at 

 base of each lobe, the dorsal ones largest. A complete marginal series of small 

 hairs all round the body. Circumgenital glands in four or five groups, the 

 anterior group being absent or represented by one (rarely two) orifices, anterior 

 laterals with six to nine, and posterior laterals with three to five orifices. On 

 each side of pygidium are two series of delicate filiform tubular spinnerets 

 opening by distinct oval pores on the dorsal surface, a few opening by the 

 margin between the lobes. Similar filiform spinnerets on the lateral margins of 

 all the abdominal segments. Length i to 1*50 mm. 



Adult male {fig. 12) orange yellow ; apodema dark brown or black. Ocelli 

 black ; lower pair largest, central, narrowly separate {fig. 2), a small colourless 

 prominent tubercle on each side representing the true eye. Antennae hairy ; 

 joints increasing in length to sixth, which is longest, then decreasing to tenth ; 

 terminal joint tapering, with a stout knobbed hair at apex, and two fine knobbed 

 hairs at side {fig. 3). Foot with four digitules {fig. 4) ; tarsus shorter than tibia. 

 Genital spike nearly half length of body. Total length of insect, nearly i mm. 



Eggs yellow ; hatched almost immediately after extrusion. 



