Female scale 2.5 mm in diameter; moderately convex; blackish; entirely covered by epidermis of twig, except small shining, sublateral orange-ferruginous exuviae. No circumgenital glands, even when full of embryos. Similar to P. tesserata, but median lobes scarcely notched on inner side; 2nd and 3rd lobes narrower (width of 2nd lobe 8 µm in clavigera, 18 in tesserata); margin beyond 4th lobe serrate as if with many small lobes; 2 large round spaces below incisions laterad of median lobes, which give appearance (with the incisions) of club-shaped processes of Howardia biclavis: anal orifice further from hind end, being 111-129 µm distant from tips of median lobes (in tesserata 84 µm).
Structure
Female scale broad oval to circular, about 2.5 mm in longest diameter, completely covered by outer layers of host plant stem, but with brownish or resinous coloured exuviae faintly exposed; observed from below when the scale is raised, it is flatly convex, brownish in colour (Brain, 1919).
Economic Importance & Control
This species was reported to damage Camellia spp. in Florida (Dekle & Kuitert, 1975; Dekle, 1976). Nagarkatti & Sankaran (1990) considered this species a pest of tea plants.
General Remarks
Description and illustration of adult female by Green & Laing (1921), Zimmerman (1948), Balachowsky (1958b) and by Tang (1984).
Keys Beardsley 1966: 517 (female); Balachowsky 1958b: 258 (female); Zimmerman 1948: 352 (female); Fullaway 1932: 96, 109 (female); Marlatt 1908: 135 (female).
