18 MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF ADULT MALES 



(2) The post-tergital setae (pts) occur on, or immediately behind, the post-tergites ; 

 this group is present in F. virgata among the Planococcus group, and in all species 

 of the Pseudococcus and Saccharicoccus group, and may be also present in Ceroputo 

 group. 



(3) The lateral pronotal setae (lps) are situated on, or lateral to the lateral pronotal 

 sclerites. 



(4) The antespiracular dorsal setae (asds) occur laterally at about the level of the 

 post-tergites ; 2-4 setae are usually present on each side, but in Saccharicoccus 

 group there are 5 or more setae, and in Octococcus and Ceroputo groups they are 

 usually absent. 



(5) The antespiracular ventral setae (asvs) are present latero-ventrally, just behind 

 the front coxa ; one seta almost always occurs on each side, but in S. sacchari two 

 setae were found. 



(6) The prosternal setae (stnis) are present medially, on the prosternum or on the 

 membranous part immediately anterior to it ; these setae may be less than 4 on 

 each side (Planococcus and Nairobia groups), 4 or more (Pseudococcus group), or 

 usually absent (Octococcus and Ceroputo groups). 



The disc pores. In the groups of genera other than Nairobia, the disc pores are 

 present, usually occurring in association with the prothoracic setae, and are arranged 

 in the following groups : the medial pronotal pores (mpnp) ; the post-tergital pores 

 (ptdp) ; the lateral pronotal pores (lpp) ; the antespiracular dorsal pores (asdp) ; 

 and the prosternal pores (stnip). The number of these pores is variable, but the 

 post-tergital pores were found in P. dioscoreae only (Text-figs. 7, 8). 



Mesothorax 



The mesothorax is strongly developed. The shape and conditions of the sclero- 

 tized areas vary considerably within the family, providing a number of taxonomic- 

 ally important characters. 



The mesotergum is divided into a mesonotum (or alinotum) and a mesopostnotum, 

 which are widely separated by a large membranous area (postscutellum of Berlese, 

 1893) ; the mesonotum is further subdivided into the distinct prescutum, scutum 

 and scutellum. 



The prescutum (prsc), the antero-median area of the mesonotum, is dome-shaped ; 

 in the dorsal view it is either transversely rectangular (Planococcus, Pseudococcus, 

 Saccharicoccus and Octococcus groups), or triangular (Ceruputo and Nairobia groups). 

 The anterior margin of the prescutum is invaginated, forming the mesoprephragma 

 (phri) with its inner margin slightly notched in the middle. The prescutum is 

 bounded laterally and posteriorly by the prescutal ridges (pscr) and the prescutal 

 suture (pscs), respectively ; the suture is sometimes absent (Saccharicoccus group), 

 or strongly developed, ridge-like and continuous with the prescutal ridges (Ceroputo 

 group, Text-figs. 33 & 35). 



The scutum (set) is large, uniformly sclerotized throughout (Ceroputo and Nairobia 

 groups), or with a median longitudinal narrow membranous area (the remaining 



