Rhizococcus, Signoret

Moghaddam, Masumeh & Watson, Gillian W., 2024, The Scale Insects Of Iran (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) Part 3 The Soft Scales (Coccidae) And Other Families, Zootaxa 5542 (1), pp. 1-202 : 129

Genus RHIZOCOCCUS Signoret

Rhizococcus Signoret, 1875: 16 , 36. Type species: Rhizococcus gnidii Signoret.

Diagnostic characters of the adult female: Body of live adult female oval, completely enclosed in a broadly oval to circular ovisac. Slide-mounted, body oval, tapering posteriorly.Antennae each with 7 (rarely 6) segments. Frontal lobes present or absent; frontal tubercles present or absent. Labium 3 segmented, with basal segment bearing 2 pairs of setae. Legs well developed; each hind coxa with translucent pores; tibia with 5 setae (median seta present); claw with a denticle. Macrotubular ducts of 1– 3 types; large ducts present in transverse bands across dorsum and forming marginal band on venter; smaller macrotubular ducts (when present) few, scattered on medial to submedial areas of venter. Microtubular ducts forming transverse bands across dorsum and a longitudinal marginal band on venter. Disc-pores each usually with 4 (sometimes with 3‒7 or 9) loculi in a single ring, present throughout body. Dorsum with conical setae of varying sizes: largest setae more-or-less forming a marginal row, medium-sized ones in a submarginal row, and small setae forming transverse rows across dorsum. Anal lobes well developed, each lobe with an apical seta and 3 conical dorsal setae. Anal ring with pores and bearing 8 (rarely 6) setae. Cauda present (derived from Kozár et al. 2013).

Comment: Worldwide, 67 species are included in Rhizococcus at present ( García Morales et al. 2016); six species are known from Iran (Moghaddam 2019).

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

1(0) Dorsum of anal lobe with 3 very long, hair-like setae......................................... borchsenii (Danzig)

- Dorsum of anal lobe with 3 relatively short, thick, spine-like setae.............................................. 2

2(1) Abdominal segment VII with 2 enlarged setae on each margin. Macrotubular ducts on dorsum and venter all of 1 size..... 3

- Abdominal segment VII with 3 enlarged setae on each margin. Macrotubular ducts on dorsum and venter of 2 or 3 sizes... 4

3(2) Frontal lobes present. Dorsal large setae with rounded apices.................................... istresianus (Goux)

- Frontal lobes absent. Dorsal large setae with pointed apices................................. asperulae Moghaddam

4(2) Hind femur with translucent pores.................................................. saxidesertus (Borchsenius)

- Hind femur without translucent pores..................................................................... 5

5(4) Frontal lobes well developed. Anal ring bearing 4 pairs of setae, each seta several times longer than anal ring. Dorsum with macroducts of 2 sizes. Body margin with numerous large setae................................. reynei (Schmutterer)

- Frontal lobes absent. Anal ring bearing 3 pairs of setae, each seta only slightly longer than anal ring. Dorsum with 3 types of macroduct. Body margin with very few large setae........................................ avicennae Moghaddam