OF PSEUDOCOCCIDAE & ERIOCOCCIDAE 67 



other spp. of Trionymus, since the latter definitely belongs to the Planococcus 

 group. In this respect it may be interesting to point out that this species was 

 referred to Trionymus with some reservation, and Ferris (see Zimmerman, 1948) 

 noted that certain characters of the females (presence of 4 conical setae in each 

 anal lobe cerarius, complete absence of multilocular pores and very few and small 

 tubular ducts) separate it well from any other species referred to Trionymus. 



Other groups of Pseudococcidae 



Beardsley (1962) described the males of another two rather interesting pseudo- 

 coccid species, Puto yuccae (Coquillett) and Rhizoecus falcifer Kunckel d'Herculais, 

 both of which showed great structural diversities from the usual males here dis- 

 cussed. It is evident, in view of these descriptions, that neither species could be 

 accepted in any of the recognized groups, and therefore the introduction of two 

 additional ones, Puto and Rhizoecus respectively, seems to be inevitable. It must 

 be remembered that the identity of these groups is based purely on the available 

 information extracted from Beardsley's paper. 



VII. The Puto group probably represents the most primitive extreme within 

 the Pseudococcidae. The group has the largest number of exclusive primitive 

 characteristics, namely : (1) sclerite degeneration less pronounced ; (2) a neck 

 region well developed ; (3) the presence of numerous disc pores ventrally on the 

 head (about 12 on each side) ; (4) the presence of more than two pairs of simple 

 eyes ; (5) the ventral arm of the midcranial ridge posteriorly reaching the preoral 

 ridges, and the lateral arms absent ; (6) the presence of prosternal apophyses ; 

 (7) the hamulohalterae usually with more than one apically hooked seta ; (8) the 

 claw with a preapical denticle and a pair of stout spine-like projections on the inner 

 face, near its base. 



The detailed description of the males of Puto anteunatiis Sign, by Reyne (1954) 

 indicates that this species is definitely congeneric with P. yuccae, with which it 

 shares almost all the above-listed exclusive characters (the presence of prosternal 

 apophyses was not mentioned) ; Reyne's account of the males of M acrocerococcus 

 superbus Leon, and his illustration of the head (dorsal view) also suggest the 

 inclusion of the genus M acrocerococcus in this group. 



The primitive nature of Puto sp. among Pseudococcidae is also supported by 

 cytological studies (Hughes-Schrader, 1944). 



VIII. The Rhizoecus group : Contrary to conditions in Puto, this group repre- 

 sents the most specialized extreme of the known males of Pseudococcidae. It 

 exhibits the largest number of exclusive specialized characteristics, which include : 

 (1) the head broadly joined to the thorax, the neck region being absent ; (2) sclerite 

 degeneration of the thorax more pronounced ; (3) absence of a distinct midcranial 

 ridge ; (4) absence of the cervical sclerites ; (5) absence of the lateral ocelli ; (6) 

 reduction of the pronotal ridges ; (7) absence of the hamulohalterae ; (8) absence 

 of the metapleural ridge ; (9) absence of the glandular pouches. 



The Rhizoecus group also shows the following conditions which are regarded as 



