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



Asterolecanium minus Lindinger 



(Fig. 37, H-O; pi. 7, A) 



The name Asterolecanium variolosum minor was applied by Leo- 

 nardi to specimens on Quercus sp. from Italy in 1909. 11 Leonardos 

 entire notation concerning the variety was as follows: "Vive su 

 parecchie specie di Quercus. Gli esemplari furono raccolti in varie 

 localita dell'Italia meridionale." In 1911 (85, p. 63) Sasscer listed 

 the name, stating that it had been published by Leonardi without a 

 description. In 1912 (61, p. 360) Lindinger placed A. variolosum 

 minor Leonardi, 1909, as a synonym of vaHolobum, thereby validating 

 the name, and in so doing became the author of the variety. Study of 

 type material shows that minus is neither a variety nor a synonym 

 of variolosum but is a valid species, and it is therefore accorded that 

 standing. The species here described as minus Lindinger is unques- 

 tionably the species discussed by Leonardi in 1920 (57, pp. 250-253) 

 as variolosum Ratzeburg. 



Habit. — Living on bark, in pits. 



Test of female. — Slightly longer than wide or nearly circular, posterior end 

 slightly produced; 0.95-1.5 mm. long, 0.85-1.5 wide, usually 1-1.25 in diameter; 

 flat to slightly convex dorsally, with broad, flat, median, and semicircular 

 lateral carinae meeting at anterior end, and with transverse striations extend- 

 ing to punctate area, the space on a lateral carina between any two transverse 

 striations often having the appearance of a small, blunt tubercle; flat to convex 

 ventrally ; greenish yellow, fairly clear yellow, or rarely brownish yellow, trans- 

 parent to translucent, shiny, strongly punctate near margin ; marginal filaments 

 whitish ; circular larval exit in margin. 



Adult female. — Slightly longer than wide, or circular, 0.85-1.10 mm. long, 0.75-1 

 wide, usually around 0.95 mm. in diameter. 



Margin: 8 shaped pores in a single row terminating around a pore's length 

 from bases of apical setae, posterior pores 8 fi long and 5 wide, others 9 /x long 

 and 6 wide, a pore's width to length apart ; quinquelocular pores in a single row, 

 interrupted for 2-20 8-shaped pores at anterior end and terminating 8-25 (usually 

 about 20 ) pores from the posterior pair of 8-shaped pores, slightly more numerous 

 than the 8-shaped pores opposite them. 



Dorsal surface : Minute 8-shaped pores numerous ; disk pores fairly numerous ; 

 tubular ducts about 24 /* long. 



Ventral surface : Antenna globular, with 2 setae as long as diameter of antenna ; 

 beak with 3 pairs of setae ; spiracular bar expanded at inner end ; 4-6 quinque- 

 locular pores in a rather indefinite group outside spiracular opening and about 

 25-50 similar pores extending to body margin in a single, double, or triple row; 

 pores with 4 or 5 loculi, replacing the multilocular pores, arranged in 3 complete 

 or interrupted rows, the posterior row usually with 3 or 4 pores, median row 

 with 2-4, and anterior row with 1 or 2, the total ranging from 4-13 (usually 6-8) ; 

 a loose group of 4-8 dark-rimmed 8-shaped pores each side of beak, a few scattered 

 in spiracular area, and 15-20 others on abdomen either in indefinite arrangement 

 or roughly in transverse rows ; submarginal 8-shaped pores in a single row 

 terminating near the posterior row of multilocular pores, sometimes somewhat 

 crowded near posterior end and appearing irregularly double, around one-half as 

 numerous as 8-shaped pores ; submarginal setae in a complete row terminating 

 near the penultimate pair of marginal 8-shaped pores ; 2 pairs of setae in the 

 posterior row of multilocular pores, 1 pair each in median and anterior rows, 

 1 pair anterior to those, and 1 pair still farther anteriorly. 



Apex of abdomen : Setae, apical 28-32 fi long, interapical around 4 fi long, outer 

 ventral 3-4 fi long ; anal opening in ventral surface well removed from margin, 

 circular, its margin slightly sclerotized, with 2 setae not more than 4 fi long on.j 

 anterior edge. 



Larva. — Elongate ovoid. 

 Margin : With 28 8-shaped pores, axes of all longitudinal ; 2 pairs of setae •■ 

 anteriorly. 



11 Leonardi, G. chbrmothbca italica [exsiccati]. Fascicolo 5, No. 107. 1909. 



