SCALE INSECTS ('' COCCID^E ") OF AUSTRALIA. Ill 



Genus XLI. Bipersia, Signoret. 



Ann. Soc. Entom. de France, vol. v, p. 335. 1875. 



Newstead, Mon. British Cocci dee, vol. ii, p. 182. 1902. 



The adult females resembling those of the allied genus Dactylofius. The 

 antennae vary from five to seven joints ; anal lobes very variable, legs piesent. 

 They live underground upon roots and are often found in ants' nests, but 

 the ants may often be attracted to, and make their nests around, them. 

 They are like most subterranean coccids, usually more or less coated with a 

 mealy secretion, and have short anal appendages. 



There are thirty-six species described from all parts of the world, but 

 nearly two-thirds of them are peculiar to North America. Two are four.d 

 in New Zealand and one in Australia. 



Ripersia leptospermi, Maskell. 



Trans. Royal Society, S. Australia, p. 106, pi. xiv, fig. 5. 1888. 

 Trans. N. Zealand Institute, vol. xxv, p. 235. 1892. 

 Newstead, Ent. Monthly. Mag., vol. xxviii, p. 147. 1892. 



This species was collected near Adelaide, South Australia, by Mr. Crawford 

 upon an undetermined species of Leptospermum. This is a small species, 

 the adult female measuring 3-0 of an inch, and with the surrounding cotton 

 I of an inch in length. It is dark purple, covered with white meal, and 

 surrounded with curling white filaments of cotton. The coccid is flattish, 

 sub-circular, carinated on the back, but the segmentation not very distinct ; 

 the legs long, slender ; anal tubercle inconspicuous, with short setae. 



573. Rif&rsia lepospermi. Cat. Coccidae, p. 118. 



