Gigantococcus ewarti (Newstead)

Unruh, Corinne M. & Gullan, Penny J., 2008, Identification guide to species in the scale insect tribe Iceryini (Coccoidea: Monophlebidae), Zootaxa 1803 (1), pp. 1-106 : 58

Gigantococcus ewarti (Newstead)

Icerya ewarti Newstead, 1896: 132 .

Crypticerya ewarti (Newstead) ; Cockerell (1899a: 390).

Palaeococcus ewarti (Newstead) ; Cockerell (1902a: 233).

Crypticerya ewarti (Newstead) ; Vayssière (1926: 313) [not Morrison (1928: 203) as in Ben-Dov (2005: 156)]. Gigantococcus ewarti (Newstead) ; Unruh & Gullan (2008: 37).

Diagnosis (adapted from Newstead, 1896). Adult female with double row of waxy extensions around margin, dorsal surface covered with wax. Derm on ventral surface becoming shrivelled, forming a cavity into which eggs are laid. Body widely oval, nearly circular, convex behind. Antennae 10 segmented, with short hair-like setae on each segment. Legs short, as for genus. Ovisac absent. Marsupium absent. Dorsal surface with scattered setae and pores with quadrilocular centre. Ventral surface with longer, denser setae than on dorsal surface and pores of the same structure, but smaller than pores on dorsum.

First-instar nymph with two pairs of very long setae at abdominal apex.

Type data. NIGERIA: Lagos, Lekie , ex "Pephet", 24.vii.1895 (J.W. Ewart) .

Type material. Syntypes: ad ♀, ad ♂ (partial), 2 nd -instar nymph, 1 st -instar nymph ( BMNH?) .

Taxonomic notes. Refer to the Gi. ewarti group for discussion of similar species.

We were unable to examine the type material of this species because it is not present in the collection at BMNH (J.H. Martin, BMNH, pers. comm.). Despite the inability to examine specimens, this species was transferred to Gigantococcus by Unruh & Gullan (2008) based on the shape of the pores illustrated by Newstead (1896: 132).