53. Planchonia epacridis, Maskell.
N.Z. Trans., Vol. XIV., 1881, p. 224.
([Plate XII.], Fig. 2.)
Test of adult female closely felted, smooth, hard, semi-transparent; flat beneath, convex above; elongated-oval, tapering towards the posterior end; completely enclosing the insect except at extreme posterior end, where there is a small orifice; colour partly green, partly yellow. Round the edge a fringe of long white glassy tubes in double row, one row over the other. Average length, exclusive of fringe, about 1/16in.
Test of male unknown.
Adult female filling the test, shrivelling at gestation. Antennæ absent, but represented by circular rings, each bearing four hairs. Feet absent. Anal tubercles small, setiferous. Anogenital ring inconspicuous, with six fine short hairs. Mentum uni-articulate; rostral setæ short. Round the edge of the body a row of figure-of-8 spinneret orifices; on the dorsal surface many circular spinnerets and a number of protruding tubes.
Female of second stage elongated, flattish; colour, reddish-brown; length, about 1/20in. Antennæ absent, represented by rings, as in adult. Feet absent. Anal tubercles as in adult. Spinnerets and fringes as in adult.
Young insect elongated-oval, tapering towards anal extremity, flat; anal tubercles clearly distinguishable, setiferous. Antennæ of five joints; the last joint clavate and bearing hairs. Feet normal; upper digitules fine hairs; lower digitales absent. Colour reddish-brown; on the dorsal surface many scattered figure-of-8 spinnerets, from which spring long, curling, white, glassy tubes. Length of insect, about 1/40in.
Adult male unknown.
Habitat—On Leucopogon Fraseri, Amberley and Sumner, Canterbury; on Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) (sparingly), Nelson.