390 DactylopiincB. 



Eggs bright orange pink. Other stages not observed. 



Insects crowded together and enveloped in a mass of loose cottony secretion 

 that completely conceals their form. There are no definite waxy tassels. On 

 Hibiscus coculentus and Thespesia lampas. Peradeniya. Larvas of the 

 Lycasnid butterfly — Spalgis epius — prey upon the egg-masses. 



PHENACOCCUS INSOLITUS, Green. 

 (Plate CLXI.) 

 Phenacoccus insolitus^ Green, Mem. Dep. Ag. hid., Vol. II. (2), p. 26 (1908). 



Adult female pale yellow {fig. 2) ; often symmetrically marked with small 

 blackish maculate patches {fig. 3), of which there are two on each side of the 

 mesothorax, two on each side of the median abdominal region, and a few 

 indefinite transverse patches on the median area. Examples on Solanic7ii are 

 more strongly marked than those on Cajamis. Dorsum with a very thin 

 covering of mealy powder, scarcely obscuring the colour of the insect ; and 

 with numerous erect hair-like glassy filaments. Still older examples may 

 assume a purplish tint, and parasitised individuals are of a reddish-brown 

 colour. Eyes black, conspicuous. Limbs yellowish. Ovisac elongate, white, 

 often contorted {fig. i). Antenna normally nine-jointed {figs. 6, 7), the 

 eighth and ninth more or less closely fused, but always with a distinct line of 

 division ; second and ninth longest and approximately equal ; fourth and eighth 

 usually shortest and equal ; occasionally eight-jointed {fig. 8) through a fusion 

 of the fourth and fifth. Limbs well developed ; tarsus short, approximately 

 one-third length of tibia ; claw with a small denticle on inner margin at about 

 one-third from the point {fig. 9) ; tarsal digitules simple, ungual digitules 

 minutely knobbed at extremity. Body with a complete marginal series (sixteen 

 on each side) of spiniferous tubercles {fig. 4), the spines robust and sharply 

 pointed {fig. 5). Similar but rather smaller tubercles in longitudinal series on 

 the dorsum— viz., a pair above the frons, a median series of nine commencing 

 on the metathorax, curved lateral series of eleven on each side terminating 

 on the fifth abdominal segment, and short submedian series of three on each 

 side on the thorax. Derm between the tubercles with scattered minute 

 ceriferous pores (see fig. 5). The spiniferous tubercles, themselves, are devoid 

 of ceriferous pores. Anal ring with six stout setas. Caudal setfe scarcely 

 longer than those of the anal ring. Length i"5o to 2*50 mm. Breadth i to 

 175 mm. 



Adult male {fig. 10) greenish yellow suffused with purplish red, lightly dusted 

 with mealy powder. Posterior extremity with four stout white waxy filaments, 

 the inner pair longest — equalling the length of the abdomen, their extremities 

 outwardly curved. Antenna with simple hairs. Length (without appendages) 

 I mm. 



On Cajanus itidictis, Cyclea bunnanni and Solanns nielongena (Brinjal). Pera- 

 deniya ; Colombo ; Jaffna. Occurs also in India, on Sida cordifolia. 



