Ultrastructure and description of the first immature stage of four different scale insect species (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in Egypt.

The first stage of four different species belonging to three families of the super family; Coccoidea were described and illustrated by using the scanning electron microscope. These species: Mycetaspis personata (Comstock) and Fiorinia fioriniae (Targioni Tozzetti), pertaining to the family Diaspididae; Pulvinaria psidii (Maskell) (Family: Coccidae) and lcerya seychellarum seychellarum (Westw.) of the family Margarodidae. The dimensions of the first stage (crawler), as well as some taxonomical aspects were examined and discussed. The obtained data showed that the first instar of the mealybug, I. seychellarum seychellarum gave the largest diameter of 299.33 +/- 0.94 pm in length and 183.44 +/- 0.17 microm in width followed by the diaspidid species, F. fioriniae recorded 208.1 +/- 0.78 microm in length and 178.96 +/- 2.34 pm in width; while the coccid species, P. psidii measured 119.17 +/- 0.85 microm in length and 74.83 +/- 1.03 microm in width and the smallest first stage crawler was for the diaspidid, M. personata measured 85.50 +/- 0.41 microm in length and 63.88 +/- 0.27 microm in width. The modes of assigned insects in protecting their eggs were also discussed briefly.