Genus ANOPHOCOCCUS Balachowsky

Anophococcus Balachowsky, 1954: 61 . Type species: Eriococcus inermis Green.

Diagnostic characters of the adult female: Body of live adult female completely enclosed in a felted, cream or grey ovoid ovisac. Slide-mounted, body oval, tapering posteriorly. Antennae each usually with 7 segments (sometimes 6). Frontal lobes usually present. Frontal tubercles present. Labium 3 segmented, basal segment with 2 unequal pairs of hair-like setae. Legs well developed; hind coxae with or without translucent pores; inner side of hind tibia with 5 setae (median seta present); tarsal and claw digitules mostly longer than claw, all knobbed at apex; claw usually with a denticle. Macrotubular ducts of 2 or 3 sizes present, forming transverse rows across body surfaces. Microtubular ducts short, scattered or sometimes forming transverse rows or bands across dorsum. Disc-pores present on venter, each with 5–7 loculi and in some species, sometimes containing 2 concentric rings of loculi. Dorsal cruciform pores absent. Enlarged conical setae normally present only on margin, sometimes only on anal lobes and on margin of head; dorsal setae minute, needle-like. Anal lobes conical, slightly sclerotized, each lobe with a long apical seta and usually 3 short conical setae. Anal ring well developed, sclerotized, with 1 or a partly double row of pores and with 8 (rarely 6) setae. Cauda usually absent or only weakly developed.

Comments: Worldwide, 26 species are included in Anophococcus at present; five species are known from Iran (García Morales et al. 2016).

Key to species of Anophococcus in Iran, based on slide-mounted adult females.

1(0) Each abdominal segment with more than 5 enlarged setae on each margin............................. abaii (Danzig)

- Each abdominal segment with fewer than 5 enlarged setae on each margin........................................ 2

2(1) Abdominal segment VII with only 2 enlarged setae on each margin. Frontal lobe present anterior to each antennal base..................................................................................... cingulatus (Kiritchenko)

- Abdominal segment VII with more than 2 enlarged setae on each margin. Frontal lobes absent........................ 3

3(2) Enlarged setae sharply pointed..................................................... kondarensis (Borchsenius)

- Enlarged setae blunt................................................................................... 4

4(3) Enlarged setae with pointed apices. Abdominal segment VII with 4 marginal enlarged setae on each side. Disc-pores each with 2 concentric rings of outer loculi.......................................................... insignis (Newstead)

- Enlarged setae blunt, some of those on posterior abdomen with truncate apices. Abdominal segment VII with only 3 marginal enlarged setae on each side. Disc-pores each with only 1 ring of outer loculi .................... sanguinairensis (Goux)