﻿THE 
  COCCIDAE 
  OF 
  SOUTH 
  AFRICA. 
  125 
  

  

  186. 
  Tachardia 
  decorella 
  (Mask.) 
  (Plate 
  ix, 
  fig. 
  212 
  ; 
  Plate 
  xi, 
  fig. 
  222). 
  

  

  Carteria 
  decorella, 
  Mask., 
  N. 
  Z. 
  Trans, 
  xxv, 
  p. 
  247, 
  1892. 
  

  

  Tachardia 
  decorella, 
  Newst., 
  Bull. 
  Ent. 
  Kes. 
  viii, 
  p. 
  127, 
  1917. 
  

  

  The 
  $ 
  tests 
  generally 
  coalesce 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  form 
  a 
  mass 
  completely 
  surrounding 
  the 
  thin 
  

   twigs 
  of 
  the 
  host-plant, 
  often 
  for 
  a 
  lengbh 
  of 
  30 
  to 
  40 
  mm. 
  The 
  individual 
  tests, 
  at 
  

   maturity, 
  are 
  almost 
  globular, 
  but 
  flattened 
  above, 
  3 
  to 
  4 
  mm. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  deep 
  

   purplish 
  brown, 
  or 
  almost 
  black, 
  with 
  dull 
  grey 
  speckles 
  arranged 
  in 
  radiating 
  ridges. 
  

   The 
  intermediate 
  spaces 
  are 
  somewhat 
  glossy. 
  The 
  lac 
  is 
  very 
  hard 
  and 
  brittle. 
  

  

  The 
  larval 
  tests 
  are 
  deep 
  red. 
  Those 
  of 
  the 
  young 
  females 
  are 
  flat 
  and 
  button-like, 
  

   brown, 
  with 
  the 
  reddish 
  larval 
  cast 
  superimposed 
  and 
  with 
  the 
  grey 
  ridges 
  more 
  

   pronounced 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  adult. 
  

  

  When 
  mounted 
  the 
  body 
  is 
  broad 
  ovate 
  and 
  transparent. 
  The 
  anal 
  plate 
  is 
  densely 
  

   chitinised, 
  about 
  190// 
  broad 
  and 
  170// 
  long, 
  with 
  its 
  basal 
  portion 
  embossed 
  with 
  very 
  

   small 
  " 
  grease 
  spot 
  " 
  design. 
  The 
  mouth-parts 
  are 
  about 
  185 
  // 
  long 
  and 
  126// 
  across 
  

   the 
  middle. 
  The 
  lac-gland 
  plates 
  are 
  approximately 
  17 
  Opt 
  long 
  and 
  have 
  numerous 
  

   gland 
  openings, 
  all 
  the 
  specimens 
  examined 
  having 
  over 
  100. 
  The 
  spine 
  is 
  shallow 
  

   funnel-shaped, 
  about 
  120 
  // 
  long 
  and 
  112 
  ju 
  across 
  the 
  base, 
  becoming 
  abruptly 
  

   narrowed 
  at 
  about 
  two-thirds 
  its 
  length 
  from 
  the 
  apex. 
  Near 
  the 
  margins 
  of 
  the 
  

   segments 
  are 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  circular 
  groups 
  of 
  simple 
  glands. 
  

  

  This 
  insect 
  differs 
  in 
  some 
  small 
  details, 
  such 
  as 
  the 
  colour 
  of 
  the 
  test, 
  from 
  Maskell's 
  

   description 
  of 
  T. 
  decorella, 
  but 
  the 
  marginal 
  gland 
  groups 
  and 
  other 
  characters 
  are 
  so 
  

   close 
  that, 
  for 
  the 
  present 
  at 
  least, 
  I 
  ascribe 
  his 
  name 
  to 
  the 
  species. 
  

  

  Habitat 
  : 
  On 
  Acacia 
  karroo, 
  Linn., 
  Crocodile 
  River, 
  Transvaal. 
  On 
  Acacia 
  

   melanoxylon, 
  Zoological 
  Gardens, 
  Pretoria. 
  

  

  Collection 
  No. 
  : 
  323, 
  326. 
  

  

  187. 
  Tachardia 
  affiuens, 
  sp. 
  n. 
  (Plate 
  xi, 
  fig. 
  224). 
  

  

  Test 
  of 
  adult 
  $ 
  $ 
  usually 
  found 
  singly 
  on 
  the 
  stems 
  of 
  host-plants 
  ; 
  occasionally 
  in 
  

   groups 
  of 
  two 
  or 
  three, 
  never 
  in 
  large 
  groups. 
  

  

  Test 
  ± 
  globular, 
  almost 
  as 
  deep 
  as 
  wide, 
  sometimes 
  slightly 
  tapering 
  to 
  the 
  top, 
  

   about 
  3 
  mm. 
  in 
  diameter, 
  yellowish 
  to 
  dull 
  shellac-brown 
  with 
  a 
  reddish 
  spot 
  in 
  the 
  

   centre. 
  The 
  test 
  is 
  generally 
  smooth, 
  but 
  may 
  show 
  indications 
  of 
  faint 
  ridges 
  to 
  

   the 
  margins, 
  which 
  are 
  prominent 
  in 
  young 
  specimens. 
  

  

  (J 
  puparium 
  exceptionally 
  long 
  and 
  narrow, 
  pale 
  yellowish 
  brown, 
  with 
  reddish 
  

   larval 
  cast 
  ; 
  posterior 
  aperture 
  closed 
  by 
  a 
  rough 
  buff 
  flap. 
  

  

  When 
  mounted 
  the 
  characters 
  are 
  indistinct, 
  but 
  the 
  following 
  measurements 
  

   have 
  been 
  supplied 
  from 
  the 
  examination 
  of 
  a 
  range 
  of 
  specimens 
  :— 
  Mouth-parts 
  

   about 
  170// 
  long 
  and 
  100/* 
  wide. 
  Spine 
  about 
  100// 
  long 
  and 
  85// 
  at 
  base, 
  rapidly 
  

   tapering 
  so 
  that 
  the 
  apical 
  half 
  is 
  almost 
  parallel-sided. 
  Lac 
  plates 
  small, 
  about 
  

   85// 
  long 
  and 
  75// 
  broad, 
  with 
  approximately 
  40 
  gland 
  openings, 
  all 
  in 
  a 
  compact 
  

   group. 
  The 
  anal 
  plate 
  is 
  more 
  straight-sided 
  than 
  usual 
  and 
  ends 
  in 
  four 
  almost 
  

   equal 
  lobes. 
  Its 
  base 
  is 
  slightly 
  wrinkled 
  aud 
  has 
  scattered 
  transparent 
  spots, 
  giving 
  

   it 
  the 
  grease-spot 
  appearance 
  something 
  like 
  the 
  design 
  on 
  the 
  dorsum 
  of 
  a 
  

   Pseudaonidia. 
  

  

  