Tata-Hangy, K. 1991 . Identification of common mealybugs (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) of central Africa, with a study of the Ferrisia virgata. M. Phil., Dissertation, Wales, Cardiff. Wales, Cardiff

Notes: [M. Phil., Dissertation, Wales, Cardiff.] A key to twenty four mealybug species occurring in Central Africa has been provided along with their descriptions, illustrations and African distribution. Twenty three of these are common, often pests and quite frequently collected. The twenty-fourth is a recently described species Ferrisia consobrina Williams and Watson (1988a), separated from F. virgata (Cockerell) with which it was included for many years. This is the first record for this species from Africa. The separation of these two species was assessed using specimens from four zoogeographical regions comprising the South Pacific, South Asia, the Afrotropical and Neotropical regions. Both traditional morphological taxonomy and morphometric techniques confirmed the distinction between the two species. Morphometric analyses provided two additional characters (the number of the dorsal oral rim ducts and the presence or absence of the translucent pores on the hind leg) to those given by Williams and Watson (1988a) to discriminate between the species. However, using both traditional and morphometric methods, three intermediate forms were found among the material studied. The exact status of these forms is unknown. Morphometric analyses of the two species revealed geographic variation within each. However, investigation of associated host plants did not show any important difference between populations of F. virgata collected from different plants. Although specimens from cotton were found to be distinct from those on other plants, the difference was size related, thus due to plant effects and not genetic differences in the mealybugs.