RHIZOECIDAE WILLIAMS 1969

Hodgson, Chris, 2012, Comparison of the morphology of the adult males of the rhizoecine, phenacoccine and pseudococcine mealybugs (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea), with the recognition of the family Rhizoecidae Williams 3291, Zootaxa 3291 (1), pp. 1-79 : 8-9

FAMILY RHIZOECIDAE WILLIAMS 1969

This family includes about 239 species in 16 genera ( Kozár & Konczné Benedicty, 2007; Schneider & LaPolla, 2011). All are small to minute and live underground in soil, leaf litter or rotting logs, although usually associated with plant roots. Many, including all Xenococcinae , are associated with ants, mainly Acropyga spp. (Formicinae: Formicidae ) ( Williams, 1998; Johnson et al., 2001; Schneider & LaPolla, 2011). The character states of the adult males are diagnosed in the keys above. The characters which might define adult female Rhizoecidae are: labium narrow, elongate, 3 segmented; body usually minute, mostly <1.5 mm long; cerarii absent; antennae usually strongly geniculate, never more than 6 segmented, terminal segment always tapering and pointed; apical and subapical antennal segments each with strong, blunt, falcate, sensory setae; presence of “internal genitalia*”; presence of bi- and tritubular pores (not always present); anal ring with two rows of elongated pores ( Rhizoecinae ); eyes hardly noticeable ( Rhizoecinae ) or absent ( Xenococcinae ); claws without a denticle; anal lobes absent or poorly developed, each with a group of setae; spines and spinules absent; hypogaeic habit ( Danzig, 1980; Koteja 1974a, 1974b; Kozár & Konczné Benedicty, 2007; Williams, 1998).

*The term “internal genitalia” refers to the sclerotised tissue of the oviduct and related structures which can still be seen after treatment with KOH. These tend to be particularly obvious on many species of Rhizoecidae and are somewhat variable between species (see figs 8 & 153 in Kozár & Konczné Benedicty, 2007).