rarely on other abdominal segments. Tubular
ducts absent. Legs poorly developed, distorted,
with unequal claw digitules. Antennae usually
6-segmented. MARGIN Marginal setae clustered
on posterior end of anal cleft. Spiracular setae
(Fig. 23, E) in 3 or 4 irregular rows, usually
hemispherical, large setae of outer row bullet-
shaped.
DISTRIBUTION: Map VI. HI. Foreign:
Australia, China, Fiji Islands, Guam, Hong
Kong, India, Japan, Java, Malaysia, Philippines,
Puerto Rico, Rota, Saipan, Samoa, Tahiti, and
Taiwan.


Map VI. Distribution of Ceroplastes rubens.


BIOLOGY: Found on stems, branches, and
leaves of host. Once crawlers have settled all
future instars remain at that location on the
plant. In Florida, the most common hosts in the
nursery are Aglaonema spp., and recent
dooryard discoveries in the Miami area have'
been on mango and sapodilla. They seem to
prefer the upper leaf surface. Adult females over-
winter, and males have been reported in Japan.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: According to
Ebeling (1959), C. rubens is a major pest of
Citrus in Australia, Hawaii, and Japan. It also
attacks several ornamental plants. Local infesta-
tions in Florida have been discovered recently,
but populations have been relatively small, and
apparently it is a minor pest. It has not been


 Fig. 22. Ceroplastes rubens, adult female, DPI Photo 700760.

 discovered in commercial citrus groves. Current
studies indicate it may feed on southern pines.
NATURAL ENEMIES: A parasite known to feed
on C. rubens in Florida is the cosmopolitan
species Scutellista cyanea (Bartlett in Clausen ed.
1978). Microterys kotinskyi Fullaway is present
in Bermuda. Anicetus beneficus Ishii and Tasu-
matsy has been reported in Japan by Bartlett
(in Clausen, ed. 1978).
REMARKS: Red wax scale is not likely to be con-
fused with other species of Ceroplastes in
Florida. The distinct red color and arrangement
of the spiracular wax bands make it very distinct.
This is also the only species of Ceroplastes in the
United States with reduced and distorted legs
(Gimpel et al. 1974).
MATERIAL STUDIED: FLORIDA: Boynton
Beach, 2(2), Aglaonema modestum, 30-X-1978,
J. Bennett and K. Stolley; Miami, 1(3), Aralia
elegantissima, 5-XII-1955, L. J. Daigle; Or-
lando, 1(5), Aglaonema tricolor, 17-X-1955, A.
C. Crews; 1(1), Viburnum sp., 15-V-1970, F. L.
Ware; Samsula, 1(1), Brassaia actinophylla,
8-IX-1975, J. N. Pott.



 CEROPLASTES SINENSIS Del Guercio

SYNONYMS: Ceroplastes sinensis Del Guer-
 cio 1900:232, Gimpel et al.
 1974:62