74 AonicLia. 



AONIDIA LORANTHI, sp. nov. 

 (Plate XIX. _ftgs. 1-5.) 



Females occupying small cavities in the centre of circular swellings on the 

 stems of Loranthus {fig. i, a). Puparium {fig. 2) circular; flat above, convex 

 below. Second pellicle reddish ; subcordate, extending almost to the extreme 

 margin of the scale. First pellicle approximately central; greenish or fulvous; 

 with small prominent central boss. The pellicles covered by a very thin trans- 

 parent yellowish layer of secretion which gives a granulated appearance to the 

 scale, Puparium frequently overlaid by fragments of the cuticle of the plant 

 {fig. 2). Ventral scale complete, being the ventral half of the second pellicle ; 

 frangible along a definite sub-marginal line which dips sharply downwards in 

 front {fig. 3), accounting for the cleft on the median anterior margin of the 

 adult insect. Beyond this line of separation the dorsal and ventral parts of the 

 scale are closely united. Diameter of puparium about i mm. 



Male puparium not observed. 



Adult female semicircular {fig. 4) ; abdominal segments almost completely 

 withdrawn ; a deep cleft from the median anterior margin ; a broad marginal 

 area flattened and membranous. Colour creamy white, suffused and veined 

 with purple ; a large circumscribed area around the rostrum brown and 

 chitinous. Minute antennal papillse in front of rostrum, each bearing a curved 

 hair, Pygidium {fig. 5) rather truncate, with eight small but prominent ob- 

 scurely tricuspid lobes, of which the median are shortest. Between and beyond 

 the lobes are some very dehcate pointed squames. Minute spines at base of 

 lobes. No grouped glands or tubular spinnerets. A transverse series of four 

 irregular linear thickenings of the body-wall across base of pygidium. Length 

 0*50 to 075 mm. 



Adult male not observed. 



Larvae not observed. 



The bodies of the females examined contained fully developed embryos. 



Habitat on stems and branches of Loranthus^ sp.; Punduloya (January), 

 This is one of those species that form for themselves pits in the substance of 

 the plants upon which they exist. In this particular instance the cavity is 

 really due to a swelling of the tissues immediately surrounding the insect, the 

 bottom of the cavity representing the normal level. Small ring-shaped swellings 

 on the bark mark the former position of insects that have died or become 

 detached. 



On the same plant were other scales, distinguished by their more oval form 

 and the absence of the swollen ring, which I at first supposed to be the males 

 of the above species ; but upon closer examination they proved to be the mature 

 female puparia of a distinct specie which I have described below under the 

 name of Aonidia obsciira. 



