Jifo. I. ] Desciiptio7is of Nfio Cocciria, 59 



V.-DESCRIPTIONS OP NEW COCCID^. 

 By w. m. maskl:ll. 



[With one plate.) 



[ Note. — The first insect described below hns recently been fonnd attacking tea in 

 Assam and the Kangra Talley. The second has been found on the leaves of tea in tlie 

 Kangia valley. The third has been found destructive to the plant Cajanus indicus in 

 Madras.—^. C. C. ] 



Group — Diatipidince. 

 Genus — Aspidiofut, Boucbe. 



Female puparia circular; pellicles usually in the centre. Male 

 puparia slig-htly elongated, not earinated ; pellicle at one end. 



The absence of carination in the male puparia distinguisbes this 

 g-eniis from Diaspis. The pellicles of the female are not always in tbe 

 centre, and when tbis is the case an examination of tbe male puparium 

 is necessary for certitude. 



Aspidiotus thea, Maskell, sp. nov. 



{Plate I; fig' 1 a, h, e, d^ e.) 



Female puparia clustered thickly on twigs, as nearly circular as their 

 numbers and position will permit : slightly convex: colour light-brown, 

 covered with a very thin coat of white excretion : pellicles yellow, very 

 small, situated near tbe margin : the fibrous portion of tbe puparium 

 rather solid. Diameter averaging yL- inch. 



Male puparium elongated, not earinated : pellicle at one end : colour 

 similar to that of the female. 



Adult female brown peg-top-shaped, the cephalic segment rather 

 large, the pygidium comparatively small. The abdominal segments 

 shrink up more and more as the female approaches gestation. Ahdomen 

 ending in two median lobes with a smaller lobe on each side : a few 

 spines and small hairs on tbe edge, Pygidium on the ventral surface, 

 exhibiting four large " spinneret-groups''^ : the upper pair with from 30 

 to 40 orifices, tbe lower pair 15 to 25. On the dorsal surface are a 

 number of tubular spiimerets, and a large patch divided into an irregular 

 lattice-work, the spaces of which are not large, and not constant iu 

 shape in different specimens, although the size and position of the whole 

 patch is quite constant. 



Larva when just hatched bluish, flat, active, length about ^-^ inch. 

 Tbe antennae appear to have six joints, sub-equal, the last widely dilated 

 at tbe tip and bearing two longish hairs. 



Adult male unknown. 



Habitat.— On tea-plants in India : — (Assam, Kangra valley, &e.) 



