92 THE COCCIDAE 



and in the case of niger 2 to 8 mm. and quotes the following from 

 Giard: " according to the conditions of nutrition in which the 

 nymph finds itself, the latter is able to transform itself into an 

 adult female of very different sizes. Certain adult females of 

 M. vitium are no more than 2 mm., while others attain a length of 

 5 or even 8 mm. As a result one often finds adult females smaller 

 than some of the larvae." 



The development of the male is unknown. Green assumed 

 from collectors' notes that the males become encysted like the 

 females, but their cysts have not been identified. The collectors 

 reported the cysts "were fairly numerous and were obtained five 

 to seven inches beneath the soil. The males were also enclosed in 

 shells but emerged soon after excavating and were observed 

 copulating toward evening." The adult males and females 

 emerged in June in papilliosus and the cysts were reddish in 

 color. In the case of niger the collector makes the following note : 

 "Egg-masses of this Ground Pearl were observed in the soil at a 

 depth of 2-3 inches. The cells in which the eggs were found were 

 long-oval, lined inside with a coating of mealy wax. Hundreds 

 of eggs were found filling up the interior of each cell. The dead 

 mother scale shrivelled and rotten was to be found at one pole 

 of the cell." 



The legs of the adult male are similar to those of the female, 

 the prothoracic legs which are used for digging into the soil in 

 search of the female, are enlarged. The tibio-tarsal sutures are 

 usually present but may be wanting. The claws of the mesotho- 

 racic and metathoracic legs are simple, rarely trifid. The antennae 

 are long and slender and consist of ten to thirteen segments. 

 They are ordinarily simple but may be branched or flabellate. 

 The wings with numerous conspicuous veins show their affinity tc 

 the wings of the generalized Gularostria. The halteres are small 

 and bear a single curved hook. 



The two genera of Margarodinae, of which one is known only 

 in the male sex, can be separated by means of the following table : 



GENERA OF MARGARODINAE 



a. Male with antennae simple and with tibio-tarsal sutures of meso- 

 thoracic and metathcracic legs present; adult female with abdomi- 

 nal spiracles, those of first abdominal segment located on ventral 

 aspect and those of other segments on dorsal aspect, rarely lateral 



aspect Margarodcs Guilding. 



aa. Male with antennae distinctly flabbellate and with tibio-tarsal 

 sutures of mesothoracic and raetathoracic legs obsolete; adult female 

 unknown. . Neomargarodes Green. 



