Rhizococcus saxidesertus (Borchsenius)

(Fig. 64, distribution map Fig. 93H)

Acanthococcus saxidesertus Borchsenius, 1949a: 343 . Nidularia saxidesertus (Borchsenius); Lindinger 1957: 543. Eriococcus saxidesertus (Borchsenius); Hoy 1963: 115. Rhizococcus saxidesertus (Borchsenius); Kozár et al. 2013: 540‒542.

Field characteristics: Live adult female body egg-shaped; ovisac greyish, compact, entirely enclosing body.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body broadly oval.Antennae each with 7 segments. Frontal lobes and frontal tubercles present. Eyes situated adjacent to margin. Legs well developed; meso- and metathoracic coxae each without spinulae on ventral suface; hind coxa and femur with translucent pores on dorsal surfaces; tibiae each with 5 setae (median seta present); tarsal and claw digitules knobbed at apex, all longer than claw; claw with denticle near apex. Anal lobes sclerotized, dorsum of each with 2 enlarged setae along inner margin and 1 on outer margin, similar in size to those on dorsal abdominal margin; ventral surface with 3 long slender setae. Anal ring bearing 1 row pores and eight setae. Cauda present, sclerotized.

Dorsum: margin with a band of fairly-long enlarged spine-like setae with pointed apices, varying in size and shape. Margin of abdominal segment VII with 3 lateral enlarged setae on each side. Smaller setae, some slightly curved, forming sparse rows across middle parts of abdominal segments; submarginal area without enlarged setae. Macrotubular ducts of 1 size sparsely present throughout. Microtubular ducts scattered throughout.

Venter with hair-like setae present in medial areas of abdominal segments; enlarged setae forming marginal and submarginal rows. Quinquelocular pores distributed in sparse bands and rows across all segments of abdomen and thorax; trilocular pores few, on thorax and head. Macrotubular ducts of 2 sizes: (i) larger ducts same size as those on dorsum, in a marginal band; and (ii) narrower ducts scattered throughout, including margins. Microtubular ducts present on submarginal areas. Cruciform pores absent.

Distribution: Rhizococcus saxidesertus is known only from Tajikistan, Türkiye (Turkey) and Iran (García Morales et al. 2016), where it was collected from Ardabil province (Moghaddam 2013).

Host-plants: The scale has been recorded only on a fern, Asplenium ceterach ( Aspleniaceae) (García Morales et al. 2016); in Iran, it was found on an unidentified plant (Moghaddam 2013).

Economic importance: Not known as a pest in Iran.

Natural enemies: None recorded.