The Coccidae of South Africa. 
183 
From the examination of numerous specimens of A. mirahilis and 
A. tricornis in the collection I have no doubt that the latter should be 
given specific rank. 
Collection No. : B 15. 
Subfamily MAEGAEODINAE. 
The Margaroclinae are probably the most remarkable of the Coccidae. 
Both sexes possess very strong front legs which are obviously adapted to 
their fossorial habits. The males are winged ; the females, as with all 
Coccids, are wingless. 
The most striking feature in the female series is the existence of prae- 
pupal and pupal stages which are passed in a glassy cyst before the adult 
proper emerges. During the early part of this period the insect has well- 
developed mouth-parts but no legs ; a later stage, when both mouth-parts 
and legs are absent, and which probably represents a true pupal stadium, 
is present in the case of M. capensis, and probably in other species too. 
At maturity the female emerges from the cyst and probably moves 
about in the soil. The newly-hatched larva, however, is best suited by 
its form for locomotion below ground, and the natural distribution of the 
insects most likely takes place in this stage. In the four South African 
species which have been observed (M. capensis, M. peringueyi, M. greeni, 
and M. ruber) the adult female surrounds herself with a dense coat of 
waxy filaments before the eggs are deposited, and looks, in this stage, like 
a subterranean mealy-bug. 
Gen. MAEGAEODES Guilding. 
Subterranean, anterior legs of both sexes adapted for digging. 
Antennae 7- to lO-jointed. 
Adult 2 soft, mouth absent, legs and antennae present ; intermediate 
stage hard, more or less pearl-like ; globular to ovoid. 
Synopsis of South African Species o/ Margarodes. 
A. Cyst irregular in outline, ± triangular. Adult ? whitish-yellow ; 
antennae 7- or 8-iointed. 
(a) Cyst brassy to bronze in colour. 
Adult ? with 7- or 8- jointed antennae. Derm wrinkled . . . . M. trimeni. 
