Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner, 1861)

(Figs 45, 46)

Lecanium nigrum Nietner, 1861: 9 .

Diagnosis. Dorsum with anal plates each with 4 apical setae (Figs 45D, 46E); and preopercular pores present anterior to anal plates (Fig. 46D). Marginal setae with broadly fimbriate apices (Fig. 46K). Venter with multilocular disc-pores usually each with 10 loculi, mainly present around vulvar area (Fig. 46F); tubular ducts each with a narrow inner ductule (Fig. 46G); antenna 7 or 8 segmented (partially adopted from Williams & Watson 1990).

Material examined. 2 ♀♀, LAOS, Hadsayfong Dist., Vientiane Capital, 16.ii.2017, coll. P.P. Soysouvanh, on Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) I.M. Johnst. (Euphorbiaceae) .

Hosts. Polyphagous. According to García Morales et al. (2016), P. nigra has been recorded from plants belonging to 242 genera in 92 families. In Laos, it has been found on Euphorbia sp. ( Euphorbiaceae) and Musa sp. ( Musaceae) (Hodgson 1994).

Distribution. All zoogeographical regions; Oriental Region (India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam) (García Morales et al. 2016).

Economic importance. Hamon & Williams (1984) and Hodgson (2000) considered P. nigra to be a pest on diverse ornamental plants in tropical regions; it was also regarded as a potential pest of citrus and avocado ( Persea americana) in California (Smith 1944).

Remarks. Parasaissetia nigra is easily recognized by the following morphological combination: (i) dorsum with reticulated pattern; (ii) having 3 stigmatic spines; and (iii) lacking ventral tubular ducts in the medial area of the abdomen (Hodgson 1994).