78 MISC. PUBLICATION 42 4, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



Asterolecanium difficile, new species 



(Fig. 19, A-Hj pi. 9, V) 



Habit. — Living on bark. 



Test of female. — Longer than wide or roughly triangular, with margin otten 

 indented by growth against hairs on bark, posterior end narrowed, produced 

 into a very short, upturned tube ; 1.10-1.5 mm. long, 0.55-0.75 wide ; nearly flat 

 to oval dorsally, flat ventrally ; pale greenish yellow, transparent, smooth, shiny ; 

 marginal filaments colorless, glassy, f ragmentary ; circular larval exit at end 

 of tube. 



Adult female. — Shape similar to that of test, 1-1.4 mm. long, 0.5-0.7 wide. 



Margin : 8-shaped pores in a single row interrupted at produced area but 

 continuing for 1 or 2 pores and terminating one or two times a pore's length 

 from bases of apical setae, pores near apical setae 8 fi long and 5 wide, anterior 

 pores usually 7 or 8 m long and 5 wide, the others slightly smaller, those anterior 

 to interruption 6 /j. long and 4 wide, usually slightly more than a pore's length 

 apart ; trilocular pores in a single row terminating 10-20 8-shaped pores from 

 interruption in marginal 8-shaped pores, in proportion of 1 to every 3 8-shaped 

 pores near posterior end, 2 and occasionally 3 to each 8-shaped pore from 

 posterior spiracular area cephalad, but reduced in number or missing for 6-10 

 8-shaped pores at anterior end. 



Dorsal surface : Usually 1-13 8-shaped pores in submarginal area, measuring 

 8-10 fi long and 5 or 6 wide ; minute 8-shaped pores numerous ; disk pores very 

 sparse; tubular ducts 22 n long. 



Ventral surface : Antenna flat, with 2 setae slightly longer than diameter of 

 antenna ; beak with 2 pairs of setal bases ; spiracle with bar very narrow, atrium 

 enlarged, bag-shaped, and containing 12-20 quinquelocular pores, 10-20 tri- 

 locular pores extending from spiracle to margin in a row which is single or 

 double at opening and triple or quadruple at body margin; multilocular pores, 

 totaling 14-18 and with loculi 6 in number when determinable, arranged in 2 

 complete indefinite rows of 3-5 pores each, and 3 or 4 interrupted rows, each 

 of the latter represented by a single pore; a group of approximately 10 dark- 

 rimmed 8-shaped pores each side of beak and a few smaller ones on abdomen 

 anterior to multilocular pores ; submarginal 8-shaped pores in a single row 

 apparently terminating near interruption in marginal row of 8-shaped pores, 

 nearly or quite as numerous as corresponding marginal 8-shaped pores ; sub- 

 marginal setae in a complete row terminating near center of interruption in 

 marginal row of 8-shaped pores ; 1 pair of setae posterior to multilocular pores, 



1 pair in each complete row of these pores, and 1 pair in the posterior interrupted 

 row. 



Apex of abdomen : Setae, apical 9 n long, interapical 7.2 fi long, outer ventral 



2 fi long ; anal opening in dorsal surface at body margin, between bases of apical 

 setae, margin of opening membranous ; anal tube apparent only on dorsal side ; 

 anal ring apparently greatly modified, sclerotized in a heart-shaped area extend- 

 ing to margin of body, 2 setae 16 ix long arising from short collars at base of 

 heart-shaped area and a small opening in sclerotized area halfway between bases 

 of setae and body margin possibly corresponding to opening in center of circular 

 anal rings. 



Larva. — Elliptical. 



Margin : With 28 8-shaped pores, the anterior pores slightly the largest, axes 

 of all usually transverse; 3 pairs of setae anteriorly. 



Dorsal surface: 8-shaped pores in a lateral row of 8 on each half of body, 

 about one-half the size of a posterior marginal pore. 



Ventral surface : Antennal setae, LI; IV, 1 ; V, ; VI, 3 long, 2 stout, 3 fairly 

 stout ; antennal bases nearly length of antenna apart ; beak setae, 2 pairs apical, 

 1 pair basal ; spiracle with 2 trilocular pores ; leg setae, coxa 2, femur 1 on inner 

 margin near base, tarsus 1 each on inner and outer margins ; tibia one-third 

 as long as tarsus, its articulation with tarsus rather indistinct; 9 pairs of 

 submarginal 8-shaped pores ; apparently 9 pairs of minute submarginal setae, on 

 abdomen, thorax, and head ; 3 pairs of setae between antennae and mouth parts. 



Apex of abdomen: Setae, apical apparently 30 /i long, interapical 4 n long, 

 outer ventral 2 fx long ; anal opening in margin, circular, its margin membranous ; 

 anal tube very short, membranous ; anal ring a sclerotized band close to opening, 

 apparently without setae but specimens too poor for certain determination of 

 this point. 



