Gigantococcus species

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 : 50-51

Key to Gigantococcus species based on the adult females (not including Gi. cajani , Gi. ewarti , Gi. rodriguesi , Gi. splendidus or Gi. sulfureus )

1 Ovisac band present. Marsupium absent ..................................................................................................... 2

- Ovisac band absent. Marsupium present or absent..................................................................................... 8

2 Adult female very large (> 8 mm long,> 5 mm wide). All simple multilocular pores in ovisac band, each with a quadrilocular or quinquelocular centre ......................................................................... Gi. maximus

- Adult female not especially large (4–6 mm long, 3–5 mm wide). All simple multilocular pores in ovisac band, each with a bilocular or trilocular centre .......................................................................................... 3

3 Inner ovisac band composed of simple multilocular pores, each with a bilocular centre only. Compound multilocular pores, each with a quadrilocular or quinquelocular centre and 8–12 rectangular outer loculi, present on ventral derm ....................................................................................................... Gi. bimaculatus

- Inner ovisac band composed of simple multilocular pores, each with a trilocular centre. Compound multilocular pores, each with a quadrilocular or quinquelocular centre and 8–12 rectangular outer loculi, absent throughout ........................................................................................................................................ 4

4 Compound pores, each with an 8 to 12-lobed centre and 6–8 elongate reniform outer loculi, present on ventral surface ............................................................................................................................................. 5

- Compound pores of this structure absent throughout ................................................................................ 7

5 Compound pores, each with a large trilocular centre and 6–8 reniform outer loculi, present in marginal clusters on head and thorax......................................................................................................................... 6

- Compound pores of this structure absent throughout ......................................................... Gi. schoutedeni

6 Compound pores, each with a large trilocular centre and 6–8 reniform outer loculi, present in marginal clusters of 3 or 4 on head and thorax...................................................................................... Gi. alboluteus

- Compound pores, each with a large trilocular centre and 6–8 reniform outer loculi, present in marginal clusters of 1 or 2 on head and thorax ..................................................................................... Gi. pattersoni

7 Dorsal surface covered with pores of two types: simple multilocular pores, each with a trilocular centre and 6–9 outer loculi, and compound multilocular pores, each with a 6-lobed centre and 6–8 elongate, slightly reniform, outer loculi ......................................................................................... Gi. nigroareolatus

- Dorsal surface covered with pores of one type only: multilocular pores, each with a trilocular centre and distinctive elongate profile. Compound multilocular pores, each with a 6-lobed centre and elongate, slightly reniform, outer loculi absent ............................................................................... Gi. brachystegiae

8 Marsupial band forming a sclerotized V-shape with lateral wings. Compound multilocular pores covering dorsal surface, each 17–20 µm in diameter, with a trilocular (sometimes bilocular) centre and 4–6 outer loculi (loculi arranged in pairs)............................................................................................. Gi. theobromae

- Marsupial band forming sclerotized semi-circle. Simple multilocular pores covering dorsal surface smaller, each 10–12 µm in diameter, with a trilocular centre and 6–9 outer loculi ................................... 9

9 Setae on most antennal segments and around margin very long, each up to 1500 µm long ........................ ........................................................................................... Gi. gowdeyi , Gi. madagascariensis , Gi. bicolor

- Setae on antennae and around margin not especially long, only 900–1000 µm ........................................... .......................................................................................... Gi. caudatus , Gi. euphorbiae , Gi. longisetosus