Dactylopiincs. 379 



PSEUDOCOCCUS FILAMENTOSUS, Ckll., var. CORYMBATUS, ncn). 



(Plate CLVI.) 



Adult female, before oviposition {fig. 2), with longitudinal series of stout 

 white cottony tufts covering the dorsum, arranged in six series on the thorax 

 and five on the abdomen. A pair of divergent flattened waxy filaments pro- 

 jects from the posterior extremity. In older examples the tufted appearance of 

 the secretion is lost. Each insect secretes a dense white ovisac, incon- 

 spicuously striated both longitudinally and transversely. The resulting mass is 

 subglobular, the insect itself — with its body tilted vertically — forming the 

 anterior quarter. Colour of insect (and of the eggs and young larvae) dull 

 purplish. In boiling potash the insect assumes a dull bottle-green tint, while 

 the liquid is stained an inky colour. Form broadly oval, the anal segment 

 slightly projecting. Limbs relatively small (see fig. 3). Antenna {fig. 4), 

 seven-jointed ; seventh much the longest ; second next longest, but only half 

 the length of seventh ; third, fourth, fifth and sixth approximately equal, shortest. 

 Legs small but robust {fig. 5) ; tarsus approximately three-fourths the length of 

 the tibia ; tibia and tarsus together slightly shorter than femur and trochanter. 

 Ungual digitules slightly dilated, very thin and delicate ; tarsals rather stouter, 

 with minute knob at extremity. Both sets of digitules are often missing — 

 especially on the anterior limbs. Spiracles conspicuous ; the posterior spiracle 

 markedly larger than the anterior {see figs. 8, 9). Anal ring with six comparatively 

 short setae. Anal lobes small but moderately prominent ; each with a stout 

 seta (about one and a half times as long as those of the anal ring) and two small, 

 stout spines. Venter with scattered short setK. Margin of body with single, 

 rather slender (often curved) spines, at intervals on the thoracic area {/ig. 6), 

 and small groups (of two or three spines) on the abdominal segments, repre- 

 senting the usual ceriferous tracts. Some similar spines are distributed sparsely, 

 but more or less symmetrically, over the dorsum, especially on the frons (see 

 figs. 10, 11). On each side of the body is an irregular series of smaller and 

 larger pits containing oval translucent areoles {/Ig. 7). Derm with numerous 

 small pores of two sizes. Length 175 to 3"o mm. 



Clustered on terminal branches of Breynia patens^ where the ovisacs have 

 the appearance of white berries {see fig. i) ; also occasionally on tea, Thespesia 

 populnea, Ccesalpinia sp., Desmoditit/i sp., and on a Malvaceous plant. Ex- 

 amples on Ccesalpinia were attended by ants which had constructed fibrous 

 shelters over them. The berry-like arrangement of the ovisacs is not so notice- 

 able in examples on plants other than Breynia. The species occurs also in 

 India, on various plants, e.g., Gossypiutn, Artocarpus integrifolia, Thespesia and 

 Casuarinaj also on stored potatoes. These Indian examples were at first 

 wrongly identified as Ps. nipa, and recorded as such in the Mem. Dep. Ag. Ltd., 

 Ent. Sen, Vol. II., No. 2, p. 23. 



I distinguish this species, very doubtfully, from typical filamentosus on 

 account of the compact berry-like form of the ovisac. All the structural 

 characters of the two insects appear to be identical. 



The characters of both filajnentosus and var. corymbalus suggest that they 

 might, with some justice, be allocated to the genus Eriutn. 



