16. Ceroplastes africanus Green (THE SUNT WAX SCAI/K). 



BIBLIOGRAPHY: Green, Ann. Mag. N.H. (7). iv, p. 188 (1899). 



The old adult female very highly convex, almost spherical, except 

 where it is in contact with the host plant ; opaque waxy white with 

 sometimes, but by no means always, a nipple-shaped prominence 

 either centrally or subcentrally. Stigmatic areas marked by slight 

 indentations bearing opaque white points and generally faintly tinged 

 with pink ; they are very inconspicuous and only just extend beyond 

 the margin. 



The insects are usually found crowded on the stems of the plant 

 and the waxy covering of adjacent individuals becomes confluent; 

 rendering it difficult to ascertain the real form. 



In the young adult females the nipple is always present and is 

 quite marked whilst in very young specimens the test is almost 

 pyramidical and suffused with pink. 



Denuded of wax the female is shining dark brown or reddish 

 brown. 



At Nag' Hamadi, Upper Egypt, where this species was found 

 in great abundance on the SUNT trees last year, the specimens were 

 all of a pinkish maroon colour, but other specimens collected from 

 all over Egypt have been universally opaque waxy white. 



Diameter of test 6-10 millimetres. Height 5-8 millimetres. 



HOST PLANTS. 



Leguminosse * Acacia arabica (Sunt), *Albizzia lebbekh. 



Tamaricacese Tamarix sp. 



PART OF PLANT ATTACKED. 

 The stems. 



REMARKS. 



This species is very common in Egypt and is widely distributed. 

 It is highly probable that C. africanus Green and C. mimosa? Sign. 

 are synonymous. Signoret, in the Ann. Ent. Soc. Fr. 1872, refers 

 to Ceroplastes mimosce, Boisd. mss. as coming from Egypt and attacking 

 Sunt, but his description is insufficient to be able to state definitely 

 that it is synonymous with C. africanus Green. I have examined a 

 considerable number of specimens of this species, and the characters 

 agree with a few minor exceptions almost exactly with Green's 

 description of C. africanus. I find that the nipple-like prominence is 

 more often than not absent in the old adult female, and I have not 

 seen specimens in which " a series of impressed arches on the sides of 



