26 MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF ADULT MALES 



Thorax 



Prothorax : The pronotal ridge is more or less reduced and sometimes absent 

 altogether ; the pronotal sclerites and the prosternum are conspicuously reduced. 



Mesothorax : The mesotergum is represented only by a weakly sclerotized median 

 sclerite ; the dorsal subdivisions of the mesothorax with its associated structures 

 and apodemes are entirely absent. The mesopleuron is greatly reduced and only 

 an atrophied pleural ridge supporting anteriorly a small episternum, and posteriorly 

 a vestigial epimeron, persists. The mesosternum is represented by a weakly sclero- 

 tized basisternum, whose posterior margin is invaginated into a vestigial furca. 



Metathorax : The metanotum is indicated by a transverse median narrow sclero- 

 tized patch. A short pleural ridge, a small episternum and a small epimeron, 

 represent the metapieuron. The metasternum is largely membranous and the 

 metasternal apophyses are absent. 



Abdomen 



The sclerite degeneration is less pronounced in the abdomen ; transverse median 

 narrow tergites and sternites are present on all the pregenital abdominal segments. 

 The genital segment and the external genitalia are identical with those of the 

 macropterous forms. 



ERIOCOCCIDAE 



In the following account, only the condition of the structures characteristic of 

 the males of this family, and which are different from those of Pseudococcidae, 

 will be discussed. 



General Characteristics 



The studied species were represented by 3 male forms, the macropterous (E. 

 araucariae, E. orariensis, E. buxi and 0. agavium), the brachypterous (G. salicicola) 

 and the apterous (P. fraxini) ; macropterous and brachypterous forms of one 

 species, G. spuria were also available. 



Pupation of the eriococcid males (at least of the species obtained by the writer 

 in the laboratory) takes place within compact, closely felted and rather flattened 

 waxy puparia ; the latter are split open along the rear edge, to allow emergence 

 of the adult males. 



Appearance. The macropterous forms are moderately robust, if compared with 

 most of Pseudoccidae ; the brachypterous males are even stouter, with the body 

 broadest at the third abdominal segment ; the apterous males are spindle-shaped. 

 The legs are always well developed. 



Size. The males of Eriococcidae share about the same range of variation in size 

 as the Pseudococcidae ; among the species studied the smallest was P. fraxini 



