372 Dactylopiina. 



white mealy secretion which, in older examples — when oviposition is commenc- 

 ing, conceals the colour of the insect except at definite paired patches on the 

 thorax and post-abdomen, where the derm remains visible ( fig. 4). This pattern 

 is very characteristic of the species. Posterior extremity with a conspicuous 

 pair of stout, tapering, waxy tassels, as long as half the length of the body ; 

 the rest of the body with numerous long, fine, straight, glassy filaments {_fig. 2). 

 These glassy filaments are extremely fragile, falling off and becoming entangled 

 with the accumulations of secretion that surround the insects ; they are con- 

 stantly reproduced. The female, during oviposition, rests upon a pad of silky 

 white filaments, and wisps of the same material surround its body. Antenna 

 {fig. 6), eight-jointed, terminal joint longest ; third next longest. Eyes small, 

 slightly prominent. Legs well developed ; femur moderately stout, tibia and 

 tarsus slender (see fig. 7) ; tarsus approximately one-third length of tibia. 

 Claw stout ; tarsal digitules slender, with minute terminal knob ; unguals 

 moderately dilated towards the extremity {fig. 8). Spiracles {figs. 14, 15) 

 rather large, especially the posterior pair. Anal ring with six longish stout 

 setae. Caudal lobes rounded, rather prominent, each with a pair of stout, 

 sharply pointed spines, surrounded by a group of small ceriferous pores ; 

 caudal setae stout, relatively short, but longer than those of the anal ring^ 

 springing from the ventral face of the lobe {fig. 9). A group of slightly larger 

 ceriferous pores surrounds the genital orifice. On each side of the pen- 

 ultimate segment is a scattered series of from six to nine conspicuous oval or 

 circular pores communicating with short, stout tubular ducts {fig. 10), and there 

 are small series of from one to three on the marginal area of all the other 

 segments ; similar ducts are distributed over the frons, and apair of ducts opens 

 on to the dorsum near the centre of each of the three segments preceding the 

 penultimate. Derm with numerous very minute trilocular pores, intermingled 

 with some short, fine hairs. Length of fully developed female 3 to 3"5 mm. 

 Breadth i'5 to 2 mm. 



Adult male {fig. 11) dull brown, darkest on thorax. Body powdered with 

 short white filaments. Head broad. Ocelli black : two on upper surface 

 {fig. 12), separated by more than their own diameter : two on under surface 

 {fig- 13)) contiguous ; rudimentary eyes minute, lateral. Wings ample, hyaline 

 and iridescent, covered with minute hairs, which are arranged in an irregular 

 network. Extremity of abdomen with a pair of long, straight, white filaments, 

 which are as long as the body of the insect. Genital sheath short and stout. 

 Length i mm. 



Puparium of male cylindrical, white, woolly. 



Eggs pale yellow ; hatching very soon after extrusion. No definite ovisac. 

 Young larva very pale yellow. 



Nymph similar to adult, but smaller. Antenna, seven-jointed. Limbs pro- 

 portionately shorter and stouter. 



Widely distributed throughout the island, on various plants : on Talinuni., 

 Calliandra, Castilloa elasiica, Sagitaria, and Thiinbergia (Kandy district) ; on 

 Asparagus and Liliu7n sp. (Colombo) ; on Croton (Putlam) ; and on Tomato 

 plants (Trincomali). Received also from the Maldive Islands, on Portulaca. 

 Recorded from India, Jamaica, Sandwich Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Texas, 

 Java, Nigeria, Zanzibar. 



This species can be readily distinguished by the single pair of stout waxy 

 caudal appendages, and by the fine glassy filaments. The pattern formed by 



