THE COCCIDAE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 21 



Adult 9 to time of forming ovisac, and younger stages, green, of the same tint 

 as the fleshy leaf of Mesembryanthemum edule, its most common food-plant ; 

 attaining a length of 5 mm. and an almost equal breadth, moderately convex, 

 dorsum smooth. 



As the ovisac is produced the body of the $ becomes yellowish and later yellowish 

 brown, much shrunken, with four transverse ridges and, ultimately, contorted 

 or bent backward (fig. 235). 



Antennae 8-jointed ; range in // : (1) 48-55, (2) 48-54, (3) 75-85, (4) 44-58, 

 (5) 27-37, (6) 24-34, (7) 27-31, (8) 46-51. 



Leg I : coxa 122, femur + trochanter 290, tibia 211, tarsus 126, claw 34//. 



Anal lobes approximately 165^ long. 



This insect is common throughout South Africa on Mesembryanthemum spp., 

 especially M. eduhy Linn. It becomes so numerous in some seasons that it kills 

 patches of this plant when grown in parks, etc. This was the case at the Eastern 

 Sports Grounds, Pretoria, in November 1914. 



The (JcJ emerged from the next generation about Christmas 1914 and the following 

 particulars are given from fresh material obtained at that time : — 



Male test, transparent, white, glassy, about 1*5 mm. long, margins depressed, 

 central plate raised, slightly keeled. 



Body, legs and antennae dark brown. Wings broadly rounded, iridescent, dorsal 

 sclerites and eyes shiny black. Two caudal waxy filaments, white, as in Pseudo- 

 coccus, length equal to head -f- body without antennae. 



Length of head + body 1*17 mm. (without genital spike) ; length of wing I'O mm. ; 

 width of wing 0*5 mm. ; length of antenna 0'84 mm. ; length of genital spike 

 0*27 mm. ; length of caudal setae I'O mm. 



Antennae 10-jointed, the segments measuring : (1) 34, (2) 48, (3) 51, (4) 180, 

 (5) 112, (6) 105, (7) 85, (8) 68, (9) 61, (10) 74/^ 



Habitat : On Mesembryanthemum spp., chiefly M. edule, Linn., throughout the 

 Union. 



Collection No : 78. 



218. Pulvinaria psidii, Mask. 



Pulvinaria psidii. Mask., N.Z. Trans, xxv, p. 223, 1892. 



Adult $ pale transparent yellow with irregular black markings ; 2 mm. long 

 and 1*7 mm. broad. The ovisac is white, as wide as the body, always ^a^, attaining 

 twice the length of the body. Ova pale yellow. 



Larvae pale yellow, hatching when received, 16th November 1914. 



Adult $ flatly convex with slightly raised median keel. Anal plates pale brown. 



Antennae 8-jointed ; range in /.i : (1) 24-34, (2) 37-44, (3) 51-58, (4) 27-34, 

 (5) 27-34, (6) 20-24, (7) 14-20, (8) 41-44. 



Leg I : coxa 68, femur + trochanter 190, tibia 145, tarsus 85, claw 27/<. 



Anal plate about 130// long. Margin with a row of thin spines about 34^m long, 

 tips divided but not dilated. These spines are set much closer together on the 

 anterior part of the body. Integument clear, with a few simple glands with short 



