Pseudaspidoproctus gramineus Jashenko & Danzig

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 : 169-171

Pseudaspidoproctus gramineus Jashenko & Danzig

( Fig. 83 )

Pseudaspidoproctus gramineus Jashenko & Danzig, 1992: 89 .

Field characteristics: Live adult female exposed on host-plant during growing period; body elongate ovoid, with dorsum strongly convex and venter flattened; eggs deposited within an internal ventral marsupium with a U- or Vshaped opening ( Jashenko & Danzig 1992).

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female oval, about 4–5 mm long. Antennae each with 8‒10 segments, each sparsely covered with setae. Legs well developed, covered with long setae; inner margin of tibia and tarsus with 1 or 2 rows of short, thick spines; tarsus apparently partly divided, with a small second pseudosegment present near claw, almost completely merged with long first segment. Cicatrices situated posterior to vulva, numbering 3, each usually elongate oval, median one much larger than lateral ones. Abdominal spiracles probably numbering 7 pairs, but difficult to see. Multilocular pores of 2 types: (i) with 1 central circular or oval loculus and 9‒12 peripheral loculi; (ii) with 3 central loculi and 7‒9 peripheral loculi; multilocular disc-pores few on dorsum, occurring singly; more numerous on venter, in groups on thoracic segments; on abdomen, concentrated around vulva.

Distribution: Pseudaspidoproctus gramineus is known only from Yemen (Afrotropical region), Afghanistan and Iran (Palaearctic region) ( García Morales et al. 2016), where Kozár et al. (1996) recorded it, without specifying in which province it was found.

Host-plants: The species has been recorded on host-plants in the family Poaceae in Afghanistan ( Jashenko & Danzig 1992), and on Odyssea mucronata ( Poaceae ) in Yemen, but its host in Iran was not determined.

Economic importance: None recorded.

Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 83. Adult female of Pseudaspidoproctus gramineus Jashenko & Danzig, reproduced from Jashenko & Danzig (1992), page 88, fig. 4, from Entomologicheskoe Obozrenie.