L 



ecanttnce. 243 



LECANIUM (PARALECANIUM) PLANUM, Green. 



(Plate XCI.) 



Lee. flanum, Green, ' Catalogue of Coccidns,' Ind. Mus. Notes, Vol. IV. 



No. I (1896). 



Adult ? (figs. I, 3, 5) dull reddish brown to dark blackish brown, according 

 to age. Irregularly deltoid ; broadly rounded behind, rather pointed in front ; 

 asymmetrical, the side that impinges upon the midrib of the leaf straight, the 

 other bluntly angulated in the middle ; dorsal area flattish or even slightly 

 concave before gestation {fig. 3), slightly convex after gestation {fig. 4) ; a 

 slight median dorsal elevation and two transverse raised bands ; abdominal 

 area marked by an indistinct tessellation enclosing shallow depressions ; margin 

 abruptly sloped. The dorsal area is completely covered by a transparent 

 colourless waxy layer, which becomes apparent only after treatment with 

 potash, and can be removed in flakes. Margin abruptly sloped ; with an 

 overlapping fringe of minute fan-shaped hairs, the scale showing pale bands 

 running inwards from the points of attachment {fig. 7). Extreme edge of scale 

 between the fan-Hke hairs, minutely crenulate, almost colourless, with darker 

 points separating the crenulations {fig. 8). Epidermis very hard and chitinous. 

 Epidermal cells of several forms ; a marginal zone of oblong linear pale spots, 

 a submarginal zone of small oval translucent spots {fig. 11) (appearing dark on 

 a pale ground in immature examples), larger indistinct nucleated cells following 

 the depressed areas of dorsum, and a curved series of oval translucent cells on 

 each side of the anal aperture. Scales of anal operculum {fig. 10) together 

 approximately rhombic ; outer edge rounded ; apices sharply pointed ; base and 

 outer edge approximately equal. Stigmatic spines {fig. 9) three, not projecting 

 beyond margin, median spine considerably longer than the others. Stigmatic 

 cleft inwardly dilated, inconspicuous. Body beneath with a large central cavity 

 {fig. 5) for reception of eggs and young larvae. Antenna {fig. 8) with six joints ; 

 first and second short ; third very long, as long as or longer than the terminal 

 three together ; fourth and fifth short, together about equal to sixth. Foot with 

 four digitules ; unguals broadly dilated ; tarsals long knobbed hairs. Tarsus 

 about equal to tibia ; tibia and tarsus together a little longer than femur. 

 Eyes visible, after maceration, as transparent circular spots at some distance 

 from margin. Anal cleft fused, about one-sixth length of body. Length 

 averaging 2"5o mm. Breadth at widest part 2*50 mm. 



Male puparium {fig. 12) oval ; convex above ; glassy ; divided into eighteen 

 plates, of which three are central and fifteen marginal. 



Adult i5 {fig. 13) dull reddish or purplish brown ; thoracic plates and scutellum 

 paler ; antennas and legs pale purplish. Costal nervure of wing pale pink ; 

 discal nervure pale yellow. Eyes and ocelli black. Head pointed at apex, 

 broadly rounded below. Body rather stout. Genital sheath long and slender, 



K K 



