Russellaspis pustulans (Cockerell)

(Fig. 7)

Asterodiaspis pustulans Cockerell, 1892: 142 . Russellaspis pustulans (Cockerell); Borchsenius 1960: 154.

Field characters: Adult females live in shallow or deep pits on the twigs of host-plants. Body of adult female almost round or oval, rarely slightly produced posteriorly; brownish or greenish yellow, covered by a transparent test.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body almost circular to oval; anal lobes moderately developed, forming a notch in apex of abdomen; each lobe with 6 pairs of setae. Antennae rounded, each bearing 2 setae slightly longer than diameter of antenna. Anal ring circular, bearing 6 setae, well removed from margin, situated in a dorsal recess with a slender arched plate at its entrance.

Dorsum. 8-shaped pores present in single marginal row, terminating 1/3 to 2/3x length of an apical seta from their setal collars. Other 8-shaped pores numerous, scattered, but sometimes crowded or arranged in loose transverse rows, each longer than a marginal 8-shaped pore. Tubular ducts numerous.

Venter. Quinquelocular disc-pores present in a single row on inner edge of marginal 8-shaped pore row, terminating near posteriormost 8-shaped marginal pores. Minute disc-pores present on ventral inner edge of row of quinquelocular disc-pores. Spiracles each with a broad bar; spiracular furrow between each spiracle and body margin containing about 20 quinquelocular disc-pores. Multilocular disc-pores numerous, present on most abdominal segments.

Distribution: Russellaspis pustulans is a cosmopolitan species (García Morales et al. 2016); it was recorded from Iran by Stumpf & Lambdin (2006).

Host-plants: The scale is highly polyphagous, and has been recorded on host-plants in 171 genera belonging to 69 families (García Morales et al. 2016).

Economic importance: None in Iran.

Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.