Immature Long Tailed Mealybug

svalley · Post by **svalley** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:10 am

An immature Pseudococcus longispinus on a leaf. It is about 1mm long.

Leica MZ16 stereomicroscope w/extended depth of field imaging system.
Stacks processed with ImagePro software.

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:09 am

This is a beautifully bizarre creature. And I like the composition of your photo as well, Steve.

I see the pseudococcid is lying on its back, and we look upon the ventral body side with the six legs. And I wonder what the long terminal filaments are for. Do you perhaps know, if they are always that long in this species, and if they are chitinous body appendages covered with wax or wholly waxen secretions?

Cheers,
Betty

svalley · Post by **svalley** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:41 am

Betty, actually this is the dorsal view. The brownish filaments will eventually become covered with the waxy secretions like the others. The long filaments are frgile and break easily. Maybe they are some sort of defense to confuse predators. They are shorter in mature individuals. I'm glad you like the image.

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:39 pm

Aha, now I see! The little nifty feller fooled me with brownish dorsal appendages; these make him even more bizarre.
Thanks for clearing things up, Steve!

Cheers,
Betty