CHAPTER XVII 



SUBFAMILY KERMESIINAE 



The Pseudogall Coccids 



The body of the adult female is rotund, globular, not insect-like. It 

 resembles a gall or berry and is either uniformly smooth or subdivided 

 by broad shallow furrows. The cephalic, lateral, and caudal margins 

 can not be identified. The coriae are uniformly chitinized and are sim- 

 ilarly colored with the segments so that the segmentation is obliterated. 

 The caudal end of the body is not inflated and the cephalic and lateral 

 margins are not provided with a keel. The antennae are distinct, con- 

 sist of six segments or are greatly reduced and rudimentary or are 

 wanting, when present, are articulated to the ventral aspect of the head. 

 The mouth-parts, rostrum and rostralis, are present but inconspicuous, 

 the rostrum consists of two segments. The legs are present. They are 

 subequal in length, rudimentary, or wanting. The profemora are never 

 enlarged and the prothoracic legs are never fitted for digging. The 

 trochanto-femoral and tibio-tarsal sutures of all normally formed legs 

 are always distinct. The spiracles of the mesothorax and metathorax 

 are small and inconspicuous and are ventral in position. The mesotho- 

 racic spiracles are never located near the anus. The abdominal spir- 

 acles are always wanting. The stigmatic clefts, spinae, and canellae are 

 wanting. The extent of the head, thorax, and abdomen can not be de- 

 termined. The ventral aspect of the body is depressed or concave to fit 

 the surface of the host-plant, the other aspects are uniformly convex 

 without division between them. The caudal end is uniformly convex. 

 The segmentation of the abdomen can not be determined, but no part is 

 invaginated to form a marsupium. The abdomen is never provided with 

 an anal cleft and opercula. The anal ring and anal ring setae are want- 

 ing. The anal lobes are rarely present. The caudal abdominal segment 

 can not be identified. The body is provided with cerores none of which 

 are octacerores or pilacerores. Ceratubae are sometimes present. The 

 body is never enclosed in a resinous cell with three adjacent openings 

 or covered by a scale with or without exuviae. The surface of the body, 

 dorsal and particularly the ventral aspect, sometimes bears a slight 

 covering of mealy or pulverulent wax. The body is usually naked and 

 gall-like, rarely setaceous or slightly covered with seta-like threads of 

 wax. 



The female nymphs of all stages are provided with a rostrum and 

 rostralis. The three pairs of legs are present in the first nympal stage 

 and are similar in form. The profemora are never greatly enlarged 

 and the prothroracic legs are never fitted for digging. The body is 

 never provided with an anal cleft and opercula, octacerores, or pila- 



191 



