Species Lachnodius eucalypti (Maskell, 1892)
Redgum Pit Scale
- Dactylopius eucalypti Maskell, W.M. 1892. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species, and remarks on coccids from New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 24: 1-64 [dated 1891] [35].
Ecological Descriptors
Sap-feeder.
GENERAL
Original description and illustration by Maskell, W.M. 1892. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species, and remarks on coccids from New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 24: 1–64 [dated 1891]; subsequent description and illustration by Morrison, H. & Morrison, E.R. 1922. A redescription of the type species of the genera of Coccidae based on species originally described by Maskell. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 60: 1–120.
BIOLOGY
The female attaches herself to the upper surface of the leaf, causing a circular depression in the center of a reddish blotch in the tissue of the leaf. The scale fits into this pit, the dorsal surface raised a little above the rim showing transverse markings covered with fine dull white cottony secretion (see Froggatt, W.W. 1917. A descriptive catalogue of the scale insects (Coccidae) of Australia. (Part II [in part]). Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 28: 134–140, 505–514).
SYSTEMATICS
Slide-mounted adult female with: marginal fringe with mixture of enlarged setae and hair-like setae; antennae 7-segmented; anal ring with pores and about 20 setae; tubular ducts without cup-like structure; multilocular pores present (see Morrison, H. & Morrison, E.R. 1922. A redescription of the type species of the genera of Coccidae based on species originally described by Maskell. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 60: 1–120).
STRUCTURE
Adult females congregated in masses of white cotton between sheets of bark. Adult females red or yellowish brown. First-instar nymphs yellowish brown, congregated sometimes in very great numbers on the bark of host, mingled with thin white cotton or meal, subcircular in form. Male pupae congregated in sacs of white loose cotton, mixed with those of the females and first instars or sometimes in masses by themselves. Adult male reddish brown (see Maskell, W.M. 1892. Further coccid notes: with descriptions of new species, and remarks on coccids from New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 24: 1–64 [dated 1891]).
Common Name References
Naumann, I.D., Ingram, R.J. & Floyd, R. 2002. Australian Insect Common Names, based on CSIRO Handbook of Australian Insect Names. 6th edn 1993. http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/ (Redgum Pit Scale)