104 ROBERT NEWSTEAD — OBSERVATIONS ON AFRICAN SCALE INSECTS, &C. 



in advance of these are two slender hairs ; there is a similar hair near the antennas 

 and usually four marginal ones. Thoracic segments with several (4 -6) slender 

 spinose hairs. Pygidium very broadly rounded the central area of the dorsal 

 surface with innumerable clear granular spaces (? glands) rendering the integument 

 strikingly characteristic ; dorsal pores in three well-defined series ; margin (fig. 

 14, h) distinctly crenulated and thickened ; median lobes widely separated and 

 divergent ; second pair small ; third rudimentary ; there ai'e 2-3 rudimentary 

 squames between the second and third lobes and 5-6 long slender spines beyond 

 them. Vaginal orifice near the base of the pygidium. Anal orifice just within 

 the margin ; this organ is partly closed by a pair of valve-like processes. 



Female, nymph (fig. 14, c). — Integument strongly chitinised. Cephalic segment 

 much more constricted than in the adult insect, the articulation is also much more 

 pronounced, and just within the anterior margin is a pair of large clear ovoid 

 spaces (? glandular) which stand out in marked contrast with the surrounding 

 tissues. Pygidium similar to that of the adult, but the median lobes are close 

 together, the margin is more strongly crenulated, and the clear " granular " spaces 

 on the dorsal area are less conspicuous owing to the opacity of the integument. 



On "Sunt" tree {Acacia arabica) ; Upper Egypt, above Aswan, July, 1909 

 {F. Hughes). The specimens recorded by Mr. Draper (loc. cit.) were also found 

 on Acacia arabica, in Egypt. 



As the nymphal females are much more easily prepared for microscopical 

 exammation than tlie adults, the pair of large cephalic (?) glands will serve at 

 once to distinguish this insect from its allies ; and both stages may be recognised 

 by the curious appearance of the pygidium. 



SphaBrococcus marlatti (Cockerell). 



Phosnicoccus marlatti, Cockerell, Pr. Ac. N. Sci. Ph., p. 262 (1899). 



SphcBrococcus draperi, Newstead, Quart Jour. Liverpool Univ. I,, 2, p. 70 

 (1906) ; Draper, Scale-Insects of Egypt, p. 12 (1907). 



Having re-examined my material, I have come to the conclusion that the insect 

 which I recorded (loc. cit.) is specifically identical with Cockerell's Phamicoccus 

 marlatti, and as the latter was described in 1899, the name draperi must sink as 

 a synonym. I do not agree with Cockerell, however, that this insect should be 

 separated from SphcBrococcus, Maskell, simply because the antennae are " reduced 

 to a mere tubercle." All the characters are really conformable to the genus and 

 as regards the autennre Maskell* distinctly states that these organs are " some- 

 times atrophied." I am convinced therefore that Phamicoccus, as a genus, cannot 

 stand. Cockerell's types were found in America on date palms {Phamix sp.) 

 imported from Algeria. Draper (loc. cit.) says that these insects locate themselves 

 at the base of the leaf stalks which they completely cover with the white 

 flocculent or felted matter. He states also that " the pest can be destroyed by 

 painting with strong kerosine emulsion which should reach all infested parts " 

 and further that it is very common in Lower Egypt. 



* Trans. N. Zealand Inst. V. XXV., p. 237 f 1892). 

 Jfay, 1911, 



