62 THE CALIFORNIA SPECIES OF MEALY BUGS 



chitinized area and including numerous conical spines. Antennae of the 

 adult female 8- or 9-segmehted. Anal ring with 6 to 8 hairs. Male 

 larvae resembling those of the female in all respects up to the time of 

 pupation. Adult males apterous or alate, extraordinarily large, with a 

 wing expanse of as much as 8 mm. and a body of 5 mm. Type of the 

 genus Puto antennata Sign. 



I consider Ceroputo to be strictly a synonym of Puto. The former 

 genus was separated from the latter solely on the basis of the presence of 

 but six hairs on the anal ring and of non-clubbed digitules. The descrip- 

 tion of the type species of Ceroputo is extremely minute, and the author 

 of the genus also redescribes Puto antennata from the type specimens. 

 Of the species herein dealt with, P. cupressi (Coleman), except for the 

 8-segmented antennae, would ordinarily be referred to Puto, while the 

 remainder would be referred to Ceroputo, but I cannot consider the dif- 

 ferences to be sufficient to justify a generic separation, especially in view 

 of the close resemblance in other respects. 



It may be noted that Brain (2) has quite thoroughly misunderstood 

 this genus and has placed it among the Eriococcine forms solely because 

 of the 8-haired anal ring. The species which he has described as P. afri- 

 canus undoubtedly does not belong to this genus. 



The males of this genus are very different from the males of Pseu- 

 dococcus and the other genera herein dealt with. Until the formation 

 of the cocoon they differ in no respect from the larvae of the females, 

 and they are also notable for their large size. In the case of P. ambigua 

 (Full.) they are said to be apterous, while in other species they are alate. 



But three species are known from California. These may be dis- 

 tinguished by the following key. 



1. Antennae of the adult female 8-segmented, anal ring of the 



adult female with 8 setae . . . cupressi (Coleman) 

 Antennae of adult female 9-segmented; anal ring of all 



stages with 6 setae 2 



2. Adult male winged yuccae (Coq.) 



Adult male apterous ambigua (Full.) 



Puto ambigua (Fullaway). 

 1910. Ceroputo ambigua Fullaway, Proc. Davenport Acad. Sci. 12:233. 



This species resembles P. yuccae (Coq.) in every respect except in 

 the fact that the males are apterous. There is the possibility that both 

 apterous and alate males are produced (as is the case with Gossyparia 

 spuria) and should this prove to be true, the species may be dropped. 



Type host and locality. From Salicornia ambigua, salt marshes at 

 Palo Alto, Calif. 



