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

Abstract

Melissoaspis n.gen. is established for two species, namely Melissoaspis fisheri n. sp. and Melissoaspis reticulata n. sp., and a further new species is also described, Morganella formicaria n. sp. all from Madagascar. All the above-mentioned scale insects were collected from galleries of the ant Melissotarsus insularis Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on the trunk of various species of host plants in Madagascar. New data on the distribution, host plants and life history are given for Melanaspis madagascariensis Mamet, and for Morganella conspicua (Brain).