Gigantococcus Pesson & Bielenin, 1966

Unruh, Corinne M. & Gullan, Penny J., 2008, Identification guide to species in the scale insect tribe Iceryini (Coccoidea: Monophlebidae), Zootaxa 1803 (1), pp. 1-106 : 49

Gigantococcus Pesson & Bielenin

Gigantococcus Pesson & Bielenin, 1966: 219 . Type species: Icerya maxima Newstead.

The third largest genus in the Iceryini , Gigantococcus , now contains 19 species restricted to the Afrotropical region. The adult females of all species have compound multilocular pores on the derm. Despite the implication of the generic name, the adult females of some species are not very large and can be as small as 4.0 mm long. Adult females of Gigantococcus either form an ovisac that extends posteriorly from the body or have a simple waxy flap covering the ventral abdomen, or marsupium that appears as a semi-circle or winged Vshape.

Generic description of adult female and first-instar nymph of Gigantococcus

Slide-mounted adult female elongate to elliptical, 4.8–13.8 mm long, 3.0– 10.7 mm wide. Eyes and mouthparts as for tribe. Antennae as for tribe, 9 to 11 segmented. Legs as for tribe. Mesothoracic spiracles typically much smaller than metathoracic spiracles, pores absent or present on derm at opening of atrium. Hair-like setae distributed as for tribe; setae often dense on ventral head and thorax. Simple multilocular pores of various types present across all body segments. Compound pores of various types scattered across all body segments. Ovisac band absent or present. Marsupium absent or, if present, marsupial band forming V-shape or incomplete circle of setae and simple multilocular pores with bilocular to trilocular centre, derm becoming sclerotized at maturity. Cicatrices numbering 1 or 3. Abdominal spiracles in 3 pairs on abdominal segments VI–VIII. Anal ring simple, anal opening as for tribe.

Slide-mounted first-instar nymph as for tribe except for the following features: abdominal spiracles in 3 pairs; anal tube with ring of 6 multilocular pores; each side of dorsal metathorax and each abdominal segment with submedial row of 1–3 pores; long hair-like setae at abdominal apex in 2 or 3 pairs.