Family CEROCOCCIDAE Balachowsky

The Cerococcidae is a family group of five genera containing 83 described species (García Morales et al. 2016). Cerococcids are widespread and mainly occur on the stems of their host-plants. At present, the only cerococcid species recorded from Iran is Antecerococcus longipilosus (Archangelskaya) .

Appearance in life: Adult females covered by waxy, protective test; test pyriform, dorsum convex, with surface smooth / rugose / stellate / mottled / checkered or wool-like; tests usually light to dark brown, but a few may be bright orange, yellow, pink, red or white (Lambdin & Kosztarab 1977). The adult females of many cerococcids resemble species of Eriococcus Targioni Tozzetti and Acanthococcus Signoret but, whereas members of these two genera have well-developed legs, cerococcids lack legs apart from short, claw-like stubs in some species (Hodgson & Williams 2016).

Diagnostic characters: Slide-mounted adult female oval to broadly pear-shaped, tapering posteriorly to a pair of elongate anal lobes (Fig. 8A). Derm almost entirely membranous but with a few small areas of sclerotization posteriorly. Antennae (Fig. 8B) reduced, usually to a single stub-like segment. Legs reduced or absent. Eightshaped pores (Fig. 8C) usually present in 1–3 (occasionally 4) sizes on dorsum; in some species, either present throughout most of dorsum, or restricted to around stigmatic pore bands and along body margins. Spiracular disc-pores (Fig. 8D) mainly quinquelocular, extending from venter onto dorsum; posterior spiracular pore bands bifurcate (Fig. 8). Simple pores (Fig. 8E) small and circular, usually frequent on posterior abdominal segments but sometimes very sparse or absent. Multilocular disc-pores (= pregenital disc-pores) (Fig. 8F) mainly each with 10 loculi, either present as complete bands across abdominal segments II–VI, or absent or restricted to a few on each side of each segment in some species. Cribriform plates (Fig. 8G) represented as closed pores, present in dorsal submedial groups. Tubular ducts (Fig. 8H) usually abundant.Abdomen terminating posteriorly with a pair of well-developed anal lobes, these usually sclerotized only along inner margin. Median anal plate (Fig. 8I) (probably a modified cauda) is an approximately triangular sclerotized plate situated immediately dorsad to anal ring. Anal ring (Fig. 8J) located at inner end of anal cleft.

Comments: Antecerococcus longipilosus (Archangelskaya) is the only species of Cerococcidae known from Iran (Kaussari 1957).