Coccus microogenes Anderson

Williams, D. J., 2002, Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) described by James Anderson M. D. of Madras, Journal of Natural History 36 (2), pp. 237-246 : 242-243

Coccus microogenes Anderson

Coccus microogenes Anderson, 1787g: 1 , 2; 1788a: 4; 1788b: 23, 26; Signoret, 1877: 620; Fernald, 1903: 326.

The name Coccus microogenes refers to an insect discussed in letter No. 6 ( Anderson, 1787b: 1) as`Besides the three Cochineal Insects mentioned in my former Letters, I have found three others, one of which nearly resembles the Phyllanthus Emblica Insect , excepting that it is smaller in size, on the Vitis Vinifera and Cooloo Valley of the Tamuls which Doctor Russel tells me is the Galega Prostrata of Koning’.

In letter No. 13, Anderson (1787g: 1) stated`I have speci®ed ... The Insect of the Vitis Vinifera and Galega Prostrata on account of its small Size Microogenes ’ and he listed it as Coccus Microogenes on page 2.

There was no illustration but the brief description is probably su cient to validate the name. In comparing the species with the Phyllanthus Emblica insect ( Coccus oogenes ), it is undoubtedly a mealybug of the family Pseudococcidae . Anderson gave no further clue to its identity and the name Coccus microogenes should be retained. Signoret (1877) indicated that the species could be Pulvinaria vitis (L.), a Holarctic species in the family Coccidae , but this is unlikely in an area as far south as Madras.