﻿THE 
  COCCIDxiE 
  OF 
  SOUTH 
  AFRICA. 
  123 
  

  

  Key 
  to 
  South 
  African 
  Species 
  of 
  Tachardia. 
  

  

  A. 
  Antennae 
  present. 
  

  

  a. 
  Test 
  crimson 
  or 
  deep 
  red, 
  with 
  pale 
  radiating 
  lines 
  . 
  . 
  actinella, 
  Ckll. 
  & 
  King. 
  

   aa. 
  Test 
  deep 
  shellac-brown, 
  

  

  6. 
  Rudimentary 
  legs 
  represented 
  by 
  small 
  conical 
  spines 
  . 
  . 
  minor, 
  sp. 
  n. 
  

  

  bb. 
  Legs 
  entirely 
  absent 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  karroo, 
  sp. 
  n. 
  

  

  AA. 
  Antennae 
  absent. 
  

  

  B. 
  Spine 
  present. 
  

  

  a. 
  Test 
  deep 
  purplish 
  brown, 
  with 
  radiating 
  ridges 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  decorella 
  (Mask.) 
  

   aa. 
  Test 
  yellowish 
  brown 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  afflaens, 
  sp. 
  n. 
  

  

  BB. 
  Spine 
  absent. 
  

   a. 
  Test 
  whitish 
  or 
  pale 
  yellow 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  . 
  albida, 
  Ckll. 
  

  

  183. 
  Tachardia 
  actinella, 
  Ckll. 
  & 
  King 
  (Plate 
  ix, 
  fig. 
  208 
  ; 
  Plate 
  xi, 
  fig. 
  221). 
  

  

  Tachardia 
  actinella, 
  Ckll. 
  & 
  King, 
  The 
  Entom. 
  xxxiv, 
  p. 
  342, 
  1901. 
  

  

  The 
  original 
  description 
  is 
  as 
  follows 
  : 
  — 
  • 
  

  

  " 
  ?. 
  Scale 
  about 
  3 
  mm. 
  long, 
  3 
  broad, 
  and 
  scarcely 
  2 
  high, 
  rounded 
  and 
  depressed, 
  

   dark 
  crimson, 
  with 
  about 
  sixteen 
  strong, 
  but 
  obtuse, 
  radiating 
  yellowish 
  white 
  ridges 
  ; 
  

   centre 
  of 
  scale 
  formed 
  as 
  in 
  T. 
  decorella. 
  The 
  scales 
  are 
  mostly 
  separate, 
  but 
  some- 
  

   times 
  two 
  or 
  more 
  coalesce. 
  

  

  ( 
  $. 
  Dark 
  red, 
  2 
  J 
  mm. 
  long, 
  1J 
  broad 
  ; 
  bright 
  pink 
  when 
  boiled 
  in 
  caustic 
  potash 
  ; 
  

   this 
  colour 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  the 
  internal 
  juices, 
  the 
  skin 
  being 
  perfectly 
  colourless. 
  Antennae 
  

   stout, 
  cylindrical, 
  pale, 
  about 
  140/i 
  long, 
  52 
  broad 
  at 
  base, 
  36 
  in 
  middle, 
  28 
  at 
  end, 
  

   obscurely 
  four- 
  jointed. 
  Lac 
  glands 
  with 
  over 
  60 
  orifices. 
  Mouth-parts 
  about 
  141^ 
  

   broad. 
  Spine 
  well-developed, 
  120/^ 
  long, 
  rapidly 
  enlarging 
  35/i 
  from 
  tip 
  to 
  a 
  very 
  

   broad 
  (95/^) 
  base. 
  Anal 
  ring 
  with 
  10 
  long 
  bristles 
  ; 
  chitinous 
  anal 
  plate 
  roughly 
  

   semicircular, 
  posteriorly 
  with 
  a 
  deep 
  linear 
  incision 
  60/i 
  long 
  ; 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  anal 
  

   plate 
  is 
  an 
  elongated 
  process 
  terminating 
  in 
  two 
  sharp 
  spines, 
  the 
  structure 
  being 
  

   apparently 
  the 
  result 
  of 
  a 
  fold 
  in 
  the 
  plate. 
  Anteriorly, 
  the 
  anal 
  plate 
  is 
  tuberculated. 
  

  

  " 
  cJ. 
  Scale 
  cylindrical, 
  elongated, 
  of 
  the 
  usual 
  form 
  ; 
  dark 
  red." 
  

  

  A 
  large 
  collection 
  of 
  <J 
  material 
  was 
  received 
  from 
  Grahamstown 
  in 
  March 
  1915 
  

   when 
  the 
  insects 
  were 
  just 
  emerging. 
  The 
  following 
  particulars 
  are 
  therefore 
  added 
  

   from 
  notes 
  made 
  at 
  the 
  time 
  : 
  

  

  cJ 
  test 
  deep 
  madder-red, 
  glassy, 
  about 
  1 
  mm. 
  long 
  and 
  0*5 
  mm. 
  broad 
  ; 
  flat, 
  upper 
  

   surface 
  slightly 
  arched, 
  with 
  a 
  median 
  flatly-rounded 
  keel 
  with 
  transverse 
  striae. 
  

   The 
  anterior 
  end 
  is 
  rounder 
  but 
  narrower 
  than 
  the 
  posterior 
  extremity, 
  which 
  is 
  

   somewhat 
  elevated, 
  so 
  that 
  the 
  opening 
  from 
  which 
  the 
  (J 
  emerges 
  appears 
  dorsal. 
  

   Prior 
  to 
  emergence 
  this 
  orifice 
  is 
  closed 
  by 
  a 
  glassy 
  cap. 
  When 
  the 
  insect 
  is 
  ready 
  to 
  

   emerge 
  the 
  cap 
  is 
  raised 
  from 
  behind 
  and 
  the 
  two 
  white 
  caudal 
  filaments 
  protrude. 
  

  

  Body 
  of 
  <J 
  adult 
  (freshly 
  mounted) 
  1*2 
  mm. 
  long, 
  and 
  0*33 
  mm. 
  broad 
  across 
  the 
  

   thorax. 
  Genital 
  spike 
  0*24 
  mm. 
  long. 
  Wing 
  0*95 
  mm. 
  long. 
  The 
  body 
  and 
  

   scutellum 
  are 
  of 
  a 
  beautiful 
  madder-red 
  colour; 
  the 
  eyes 
  are 
  black; 
  the 
  legs 
  and 
  

   antennae 
  pale, 
  almost 
  colourless 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  wings 
  are 
  clear 
  but 
  iridescent. 
  

  

  