1 90 Lecaniince. 



LECANIUM FORMICARII, Green. 



(Plate LXIV.) 



Lee. formicarii. Green, ' Catalogue of Coccidre,' Ind. Mits. Notes, Vol. IV. 



No. I (1896). 



Adult ? ( fii''s. 3, 4) greyish fulvous, afterwards darkening to deep casta- 

 neous, the colour disappearing in the dried insect. Marginal zone pale 

 ochreous ; four or more longitudinal series of pale ochreous spots on the disc. 

 Surface smooth and shining ; derm thin and soft, shrivelling when dry. Form 

 broadly oval, sometimes almost circular ; median area highly convex, hemi- 

 spherical ; anal operculum situate on a raised area distinct from the median 

 convexity. Median abdominal area concave below {fig. 5), forming a shelter 

 for the young larvse. Eyes black, marginal. Antenna eight-jointed {fig. 6) ; 

 or seven-jointed through imperfect division of fourth and fifth {Jig. 7) ; third joint 

 longest. Legs (yf;?. 8) rather slender ; tarsus as long as or longer than tibia ; 

 digitules normal. Stigmatic spines 3, median longest, projecting beyond margin, 

 situate in a shallow marginal depression {fig. 9). Marginal hairs simple, 

 finely pointed. No submarginal tubercles. Derm with numerous conspicuous 

 oval or circular cells, irregularly disposed over median area. Scales of anal 

 operculum {fig. n) broad, base equal to outer edge, together approximately 

 quadrate ; three small hairs near apex on dorsal surface, and two stout hairs 

 from e.xtremity of chitinous paraphysis beneath each scale. Anal ring {fig. 10) 

 with six hairs, and a pair of stout hairs on each side on rim of retractile tube. 

 Length 2 to 3*50 mm. Breadth i'50 to 2"5o mm. 



Early adult 9 {fig. 2) oblong oval ; flattish, with a rounded median ridge. 

 Pale ochreous, sometimes minutely reticulated with brown lines. 



Male unknown. 



Young larva pale reddish ; caudal setae about one-third length of body. 



The insect is distinctly ovoviviparous. I have watched the larvte being 

 extruded, each with the delicate skin of the ovum still attached to its posterior 

 extremity. 



Habitat enclosed in nests of an ant, Cremastogaster dohrnij on Tea, Cin- 

 chona, Macaranga, Elaocarpus, and various shrubs ; never found outside the 

 nests of this ant. Pundaluoya, Balangoda, Kandy. 



