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Umbonichiton pellaspis Henderson & Hodgson

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Snakeskin scale
[Umbonichiton pellaspis]. Young adult female.

[Umbonichiton pellaspis]. Young adult female.

The species name is from pellis = skin with aspis = a snake, together meaning "snakeskin", because this scale is patterned like a snake, and its waxy cover has fibres in it that hold it all together like a skin.

Biology:& not much is known about the life cycle, possibly one generation a year. Females have been collected in July, and males have been collected from leaves and stems in April and August. Snakeskin scale is rare as only one site is known.

Found on the underside of leaves of:

Podocarpus totara tōtara