PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 86(1), 1984, pp. 94-109 A TAXONOMIC STUDY OF THE ARMORED SCALE PSEUDISCHNASPIS HEMPEL (HOMOPTERA: COCCOIDEA: DIASPIDIDAE)' Douglass R. Miller, John A. Davidson, and Manya B. Stoetzel (DRM,MBS) Systematic Entomology Laboratory, IIBIH, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland 20705; (JAD) Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742. Abstract. — ThQ genus Pseudischnaspis includes two species, P. acephala Ferris and P. bowreyi (Cockerell). Pseudischnaspis longissima (Cockerell) is treated as a junior, subjective synonym of P. bowreyi for the first time. Lectotypes are des-ignated where necessary. Descriptions and illustrations are given of the adult females of each species and of the first instar and adult male of P. bowreyi. While preparing a description of Pseudischnaspis bowreyi (Cockerell) as part of a study on the economic scale insects of the United States, we discovered some conflicts between the current concepts of species in Pseudischnaspis and the actual identity of type specimens. The purpose of this paper is to redescribe each of the two known species {P. acephala Ferris and P. bowreyi), to place P. longissima (Cockerell) as a junior, subjective synonym of P. bowreyi, and to provide a key for the identification of the two species in the genus. Methods Terminology used in the description of the first instar is that of Stoetzel and Davidson (1974b) and Howell and Tippins (1977). We have adhered to the usage of Ghauri (1962) in the male description. In the adult female we have used the terms "first space," "second space," and "third space" to refer to the interlobular area between the median lobe and lobe 2, lobe 2 and lobe 3, and lobe 3 and projections representing lobe 4, respectively. Descriptions are based on 10 specimens from as many localities and hosts as possible. If fewer specimens were studied, we have so stated at the end of the description. We arrived at conclusions on the morphology of adult males of Melanaspis aliena (Newstead) based on two poor specimens, and of M. obscura (Comstock), M. smilacis (Comstock), and M. tenebricosa (Comstock), each based on 10 excellent specimens. Descriptions of first instars of Pseudischnaspis bowreyi and Melanaspis aliena are based on embryos; comparisons with the crawlers of M. obscura, M. smilacis, and M. tenebricosa are based on at least 10 excellent ' Scientific Article No. A 3303, Contribution No. 6375 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Entomology.
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