:; 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATION NO. 424 



Washington, D. C. 



November 1941 



A CLASSIFICATION OF THE SCALE 

 INSECT GENUS ASTEROLECANIUM ' 



By Louise M. Russell 2 



Assistant entomologist, Division of Insect Identification. Bureau of Entomology 



and Plant Quarantine 



CONTENTS 



Page 



introduction 1 



Economic importance 2 



Geographical distribution 3 



Host associations 3 



Relationships 3 



Generic synonymy. 4 



Generic description 5 



Characters used in classification and their 



terminology 6 



Page 



Species groups 8 



Key to adult females 12 



Key to larvae 26 



I )esci ipt ions 35 



S pecies unknown to the author 229 



Literature cited 232 



Illustrations (figs. 2-84; pis. 1-9)... 237 



Index 321 



INTRODUCTION 



This revisionary study of the genus Asterolecanium 3 has evolved 

 from unsuccessful attempts to identify accurately an injurious mem- 

 ber of the genus which evidently was introduced into the United States, 

 and from difficulty experienced in satisfying numerous requests for 

 correct identifications of other economically important species. Con- 

 sideration of literature and specimens in these efforts disclosed a degree 

 of confusion regarding many of the especially destructive species which 

 could be clarified only through a critical classificatory review of the 

 kind here presented. In this publication the writer has attempted to 



1 Submitted for publication September 9, 1940. 



2 The preparation of this publication has been greatly facilitated by the aid rendered by 

 veral individuals and institutions. The writer is particularly indebted to each of the 



_ Green. Camberley, Surrey, England; A. Hempel, Instituto Biologico de Defensa 

 Agneole e Animal, Sao Paulo, Brazil; F. Laing, British Museum: II. K. Monro. Collection 

 Entomologist, Pretoria, South Africa; F. Silvestri, Laboratorio di Entomologia Lgraria 

 lortici; R Takahashi, Department of Agriculture, Taihoku, Taiwan (Formosa); P. 

 Vayssiere, Museum National d'Histdire Naturelle, Paris; R. s. Woglum, Entomologist, 

 California Fruit Growers Exchange. Los Angeles, Calif. The writer is also grateful to 

 U. .Morrison lor his efforts in obtaining material and for discussion of problems and 

 constructive criticism. 



Others who have assisted in the preparation of this paper are Mary Foley Benson and 

 Sara Hoke DeBord, of the Bureau of Entomology ; .nd Plant Quarantine, who prepared 

 the drawings, and m. Foubert, of the Illustrations Section, Division of Publications, Office 

 or information, I . s. Department of Agriculture, who made the photographic illustrations. 



Several botanists also have rendered assistance. W. K. Maxon. Curator of the I" S 

 National Herbarium, and E, I>. Merrill, during his directorship of the New York Botanic 

 garden, extended to the writer the privilege of removing scale Insects from plants in the 

 herbaria of those institutions. Further, E. A. McClure, of Lingnan University Canton. 

 China, kindly granted the writer permission to examine a considerable amount of bamboo 

 material which he had accumulated in connection with bis study of the Bambuseae 

 Mnally, the writer expresses her sincere thanks to all who have assisted in any was 



■Superfamily Coccoidea, family Asterolecaniidae. 



286720—41 1 1 



