Ceroplastes, Grey

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 : 44-45

Genus CEROPLASTES Grey

Coccus (Ceroplastes) Gray, 1828: 7 . Type species: Coccus janeirensis Gray by subsequent designation of Fernald 1903: 147. Columnea Targioni Tozzetti, 1866: 142 . Vinsonia Signoret, 1872a: 33 . Gascardia Targioni Tozzetti in Gascard, 1893: 88. Ceroplastes (Ceroplastina) Cockerell, 1910: 76 . Ceroplastes (Ceroplastidia) Cockerell, 1910: 76 . Baccacoccus Brain, 1920: 127 . Cerostegia De Lotto, 1969b: 211 . Paracerostegia Tang, 1991: 303 .

Diagnostic characters of the adult female: Live adult female broadly oval to circular, usually convex. Females covered with thick, dense amorphous wax, usually white, which may or may not be divided into distinct plates. Slide-mounted, body membranous immediately after final moult, but becoming sclerotized with age; stigmatic clefts shallow and broad; normally with a heavily sclerotized caudal process, although this may remain pad-like and increase in area with age, or become progressively more prominent and overlay base of anal cleft.Anal plates usually longer than wide, always situated at end of caudal process. Marginal setae variable in size, shape, and distribution. Stigmatic setae differentiated from marginal setae, numerous, conical / hemispherical / bullet-shaped, each cleft with 5‒100, extending along margins beyond spiracular cleft and often in several rows on dorsal surface, forming oval group. Dorsal pores with 2‒4 loculi, often irregularly shaped. Several oval to circular clear areas often present, free of pores and setae. Ventral tubular ducts, if present, restricted to a group near anogenital fold and anteriorly between antennae, rarely forming a submarginal band. Legs usually well developed, occasionally reduced, with or without tibio-tarsal sclerosis; each with a tibio-tarsal articulation and well-developed sclerosis. One or 2 pairs of long setae present between antennal bases. Multilocular disc-pores present near anogenital fold. Quinquelocular spiracular disc-pores present in bands between spiracles and margin. Anal ring with 8 setae. Antenna with 6 or 7 segments.

Comments: Worldwide, 144 species are included in Ceroplastes ( García Morales et al. 2016) ; four species are known from Iran ( Moghaddam 2013, Moghaddam & Nematian 2021). The presence of the African species C. elytropappi (Brain) in Iran, mentioned by Ghahari et al. (2010), is probably a misidentification, so the species is not included in the key below.

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

1(0) Ventral tubular ducts, each with inflated inner filament, present in a dense narrow submarginal band. Multilocular disc-pores extending anteriorly onto thorax and present mesad to each coxa. Stigmatic setae lanceolate, with pointed apices............................................................................................ floridensis Comstock

- Ventral tubular ducts never with inflated inner filament, and not forming a dense narrow submarginal band; if tubular ducts present elsewhere on venter, each duct with inner filament narrow. Multilocular disc-pores rarely extending anteriorly onto thorax. Most or all stigmatic setae conical or bullet-shaped, with blunt apices..................................... 2

2(1) In life, dorsum of wax test not divided into plates. On a slide, legs much reduced; tibio-tarsal articulation and articulatory scleroses absent. Ventral tubular ducts absent................................................... rubens Maskell

- In life, dorsum of wax test divided into plates. On a slide, legs well developed; tibio-tarsal articulation and articulatory scleroses present. Ventral tubular ducts present on head............................................................... 3

3(2) In life, dorsum of wax test with 8 plates around margin, each wax plate same colour throughout; venter of wax test with broad white stripe between each spiracle and margin. On a slide, antennae normally with 6 segments. Dorsal pores predominantly bilocular. Spiracular bands broad, each about 7 pores wide........................................ rusci (Linnaeus)

- In life, dorsum of wax test with 7 plates around margin, each wax plate white with a blurred brownish patch at centre; venter of wax test with narrow white stripe between each spiracle and margin. On a slide, antennae normally with 7 segments. Dorsal pores predominantly trilocular. Spiracular bands narrower, each up to 5 pores wide................. sinensis Del Guercio