Morganella conspicua (Brain)

Ben-Dov, Yair, 2010, On new taxa and some described armoured scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) living in the galleries of the ant Melissotarsus insularis Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Madagascar, Zootaxa 2368, pp. 49-58 : 54

Morganella conspicua (Brain)

Diaspis (Epidiaspis) conspicua Brain, 1919: 228 .

Morganella conspicua (Brain) ; Balachowsky, 1956: 124.

The original description of this species from South Africa, and later records from Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, were all based on populations with normal diaspidoid scale covering ( Ben-Dov & German, 2003). Prins et al. (1975) observed ‘scale-less’ populations of M. conspicua when these were developing in galleries of Melissotarsus emeryi in South Africa. The new data given here show that M. conspicua also occurs in Madagascar. This is also the first report on its scale-less populations in galleries of Melissotarsus insularis .

Material studied. MADAGASCAR: Toliara Province, Parc National d'Andohahela, Forêt de Manantalinjo, Boscia longifolia (Brassicaceae) , 16.xii.2002, BLF4880, C-3598; Toliara Province, Réserve Privé Berenty, Forêt d'Anjapolo, 21.4 km 325° NW Amboasary elevation 65m 24°55'47"S 46°12'35"E, Boscia longifolia , 7.ii.2002, BLF5454, C-3605; Toliara Province, Réserve Privé Berenty, Forêt d'Anjapolo, 21.4 km 325° NW Amboasary, elevation 65m 24°55'47"S 46°12'35"E, host plant not recorded, 7.ii.2002 BLF5457, C- 3613; Toliara Province Réserve Privé Berenty, Forêt de Bealoka, Mandraré River, 24°57'25"S 46°16'17"E, Maytenus linearis (Celastraceae) , 8.iii.2002, BLF5322, C-3615; Toliara Province, Réserve Privé Berenty, Forêt de Bealoka, Mandraré River, 24°57'25"S 46°16'17"E, host plant not recorded, 8.iii.2002, BLF5332, C- 3618; Toliara Province Parc National d'Andohahela, Forêt d'Ambohibory, 24°55'48"S 46°38'44"E, Fernandoa madagascariensis (Bignoniaceae) , 20.i.2002, BLF4990, C-3620; Toliara Province, Libanona, Tolagnaro, 25°02.4'S, 46° 59.9'E, Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae) , D. Burge 1.x.2002, DOB129, C-3622; Toliara Province, Forêt de Mite, 20.7 km 29° WNW Tongobory, elevation 75m, 23°31'27"S 44°7'17"E, Leptadenia madagascariensis (Apocynaceae) , 27.ii.2002, BLF5934, C-3631.