SUBFAMILY LECANIINAE 



165 



long time in contact with the bark of the plant. The adult female 

 in other genera forms a loosely or closely felted cylindrical sac of 

 wax in which the eggs are deposited. In Ceroplastes the body is 

 completely encased in wax, formed by the fusion of plates of vari- 

 ous sizes and shapes. The ventral aspect of the body contracts 

 away from the wax surrounding the body and forms a cavity in 

 which the eggs are deposited. A similar condition is found in 

 other genera where the body is completely encased in wax. The 

 formation of a definite ovisac is usually limited to the adult 

 female but in Eriochiton according to Maskell the covering of wax 

 is formed during the last nymphal stage. In Ceroplastes, if the 

 wax of the adult is considered as an ovisac, the formation of the 

 primary plates from which the wax of the adult is derived begins 

 in the first nymphal stage. The number of plates increases in 

 each stage and in many species the shape and symmetry of the 

 plates is lost by their fusion into a thick shapeless mass. But as 

 Green points out, the plates of wax formed by the first and later 

 nymphal stages can often be identified in the mass of wax encasing 

 the adult female. The number of molts undergone by the indi- 

 viduals of this genus and the relation of the exuviae to the wax 

 is not understood. 



Where the body is deeply encased in wax, as in the genus 

 Ceroplastes, the volume of wax may be greater than the volume of 

 the body. While in this genus the wax and body together fre- 

 quently form a globular mass, this is not always true, for in some 

 species of Ceroplastes and in the species of such genera as Vinsonia, 

 Ctenochiton, and Inglesia the form of the wax is definite and char- 

 acteristic. The wax is generally designated as a test where the 

 body is encased in a mass that is hard, horny, or glassy. The term 

 test is used, however, by some writers to include the covering of 

 wax no matter what its form. The formation of a test is not 

 peculiar to the Lecaniinae, but it is found in genera of other 

 subfamilies. 



The sexes of the lecaniids are not distinguishable in the first 

 nymphal stage. The individuals of this stage are oval in outline, 

 usually somewhat depressed with well developed legs and antennae. 

 The latter are usually provided with six segments. The young 

 nymphs are very active, searching out all parts of the plant and 

 with their ungainly appearing legs and antennae resemble mites 

 or acarids. The caudal end of the body is usually provided with 

 a distinct anal cleft. The most striking feature which seems to be 



