Genus Porphyrophora Brandt in Brandt & Ratzeburg

Porphyrophora contains 50 species, six of which occur in northern Africa (Vahedi & Hodgson 2007; García Morales et al. 2016). In some parts of the world Porphyrophora species used to be the source of very valuable red dyes but these have been superceded by cheap synthetic aniline dyes and the insects are no longer used (Vahedi & Hodgson 2007). Today, some species are important crop pests in western Asia but there have been no reports of Porphyrophora causing crop damage in Africa. Adult female Porphyrophora are all remarkably similar (Fig. 5), very difficult to identify, and many of the species have not been thoroughly researched.

Separation of adult female Porphyrophora buxtoni from P. hirsutissima, based on Morrison (1928) and Vahedi and Hodgson (2007)

1(0) Antenna with 8 segments. Longest hair-like setae each less than 600 µm long. Anterior abdominal segments with 2 abdominal spiracles discernible on each side................................................................... buxtoni

- Antenna with 11‒16 segments. Longest hair-like setae each 600‒900 µm long. Abdominal spiracles not discernible........................................................................................... hirsutissima (Fig. 5)