COCCIDAE Fallèn

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 : 34-36

Family COCCIDAE Fallèn

The family Coccidae ( Hemiptera : Coccomorpha , known as the soft scale insects) contains about 1233 species in 178 genera worldwide ( García Morales et al. 2016). The soft scale insects recorded in Iran comprise 35 species in 20 genera.

Appearance in life: Adult female highly variable in appearance, depending on genus, age and host-plant. The body can be almost flat to highly convex; frequently circular or broadly oval in outline, but sometimes elongate oval, especially species found on grasses. One of the most important characters is an anal cleft, which may be very deep but is sometimes quite short to almost absent. On the dorsum at the inner end of the anal cleft are a pair of approximately triangular anal plates, covering the anal opening and anal ring; the plates are usually contiguous, and are hinged along the anterior margin so that they can be raised to allow the elimination of honeydew. Stigmatic clefts are situated where spiracular disc-pore bands meet margins; these are often quite distinct, or narrow and very deep, but in some genera they may be only shallow indentations or absent. Wax covering the dorsum may be so thin and transparent as to be invisible; or glassy / filamentous / powdery; or thick, moist and opaque. In mature adult females of the tribe Pulvinariini , a separate ovisac formed of wax filaments may be secreted from the abdomen to protect the eggs; these filaments are produced by ventral tubular ducts.

Microscopic characters: The morphology of slide-mounted adult female Coccidae is discussed in detail by Hodgson (1994).

Dorsum. The dorsal derm of young (teneral) adult females is usually thin and unsclerotized. In the subfamilies Eriopeltinae and Fillippiinae, each female has dorsal tubular ducts, which secrete an enveloping woolly wax test; the derm may remain quite membranous at maturity. In other subfamilies, such as Ceroplastinae and many Eulecaniinae, the dorsal derm becomes heavily sclerotized soon after the final moult. The anal plates ( Fig. 9M ) consist of two approximately triangular plates, usually contiguous, situated on the dorsal midline at the anterior end of the anal cleft. The hinged plates together cover the anal apparatus, and are a major character of the Coccidae . Loose groups of dorsal pores known as preopercular pores ( Fig. 9L ) typically occur just anterior to the anal plates, although in some genera and species they may be much more widespread. Sometimes dorsal setae are present only in adult females; they are often flagellate but are sometimes capitate / clavate / lanceolate / conical. Dorsal duct tubercles ( Fig. 9I ), each containing a duct, may be present, usually on the submargins. Tubular ducts ( Fig. 9D ) may be present or absent.

Margin. Marginal setae ( Fig. 9J ) form a single row, or occasionally a band several setae deep, around the dorsal margin; they are usually differentiated from other setae and may be simple, flagellate with variously divided and / or flattened tips, or conical, or even fan-shaped. On the thorax, where each of the four bands of spiracular disc-pores reaches the margin, a stigmatic area is present, usually consisting of an indented stigmatic cleft containing a few stigmatic / spiracular setae ( Fig. 9K ) that differ in length and / or thickness from the marginal setae. Normally there are three stigmatic setae in each cleft and the median seta is usually longer than the lateral setae; or there may be large groups of stigmatic setae in each stigmatic area, such as in the Ceroplastinae; but occasionally stigmatic setae are not differentiated from the marginal setae, and may be displaced onto the dorsal submargin. Stigmatic clefts may be either shallow or deep, or absent. Occasionally the inner margin of each cleft may be sclerotized.

Venter. The ventral derm is usually thin and membranous. The stigmatic grooves or furrows ( Fig. 9B ) run from each spiracular peritreme to the margin. There are two kinds of ventral disc-pores: (i) stigmatic or spiracular disc-pores ( Fig. 9C ), each usually with 5 loculi, forming a band of disc-pores in each stigmatic furrow (these pores secrete short, curved wax filaments); and (ii) pregenital disc-pores ( Fig. 9H ), each usually with 6−10 or more outer loculi, present anterior and lateral to anogenital fold, often also present across some abdominal segments and sometimes on thoracic segments adjacent to each coxa; also occasionally on the head. Genital opening usually not visible, but anogenital fold (which lies between the genital opening and opening of the eversible anal tube) often detectable. The structure and distribution of ventral tubular ducts ( Fig. 9D ) are important taxonomic characters; these ducts are sometimes similar to those on the dorsum (if present) but there may be several different types, sometimes forming a submarginal band. Most ventral setae ( Fig. 9E ) are short and flagellate, but a few are longer (e.g. those between the antennal bases and medially on pregenital segments) and sometimes these can be of taxonomic significance. Legs ( Fig. 9F ) are usually well developed, each consisting of five segments: (i) the coxa, which attaches to the venter, may be taxonomically important; (ii) each trochanter has a pair of large campaniform sensilla on each surface and a single long seta on the ventral side; (iii) the femur; (iv) the tibia is always longer than the single tarsal segment. There is usually an articulatory sclerosis ( Fig. 9G ) between the tibia and tarsus; the presence or absence of this sclerosis is of taxonomic importance. In a few genera, the tarsus can appear to be 2-segmented, particularly in the front leg, as in Exaeretopus and Hadzibejliaspis . At the distal end of the tarsus is a pair of thin modified setae, the tarsal digitules. The structure of the claw and claw digitules show several features of taxonomic importance; the claw may have a denticle on the plantar surface, present or absent. In the antennae ( Fig. 9A ), the number of segments (up to 9) is also of taxonomic significance.

KEY TO GENERA OF COCCIDAE IN IRAN, based on slide-mounted adult females.

1(0) Dorsal setae thick, more-or-less conical with truncate tips....................................... Eriopeltis Signoret

- Dorsal setae conical or flagellate, tips blunt or sharp but never truncate ........................................... 2

2(1) Dorsum with rounded, fleshy lobes projecting beyond margins. Each leg with tibia and tarsus completely fused...................................................................................... Acantholecanium Borchsenius

- Dorsum without projecting fleshy lobes. Each leg with tibia and tarsus entirely or partially distinct, never fully fused...... 3

3(2) Dorsum with at least 1 area formed of a dense concentration of intermingled preopercular pores and flagellate setae....... 4

- Dorsum without such areas............................................................................. 5

4(3) Dorsum with dense concentrations of simple preopercular pores and setae in triangular area on head and in patches immediately anterior to anal plates............................................................ Didesmococcus Borchsenius

- Dorsum with a dense concentration of intermingled preopercular pores and flagellate setae in narrow medial elongate area from anterior of anal lobes to prothorax...................................................... Sphaerolecanium Šulc

5(3) Dorsal and ventral tubular ducts extremely large, each duct with outer ductule with elongate ridges along its inner surface................................................................................. .... Hadzibejliaspis Koteja

- If both dorsum and venter with large tubular ducts, each outer ductule lacking longitudinal ridges..................... 6

6(5) Dorsum with large bilocular figure-of-eight pores on submargins and medial area............ Bodenheimera Bodenheimer

- Dorsum without large bilocular figure-of-eight pores......................................................... 7

7(6) Body elongate oval, more than 2x as long as wide. Tarsus on each prothoracic leg with a pseudoarticulation, and often very strongly curved. Stigmatic spines, if differentiated, present singly in anterior stigmatic areas only.... Exaeretopus Newstead

- Body not strongly elongated, less than 1.8x as long as wide. Tarsus on each prothoracic leg without a pseudoarticulation, straight or only slightly curved. Stigmatic spines, if differentiated, present in both anterior and posterior stigmatic areas and usually numbering 2 or 3 in each area..................................................................... 8

8(7) In life, dorsum completely covered with very thick, moist wax. In a slide mount, dorsum with anal plates situated at centre or apex of heavily sclerotized caudal process. Stigmatic spines distinctly differentiated from marginal setae, present in groups of 15 or more in each spiracular cleft.......................................................... Ceroplastes Gray

- In life, dorsal wax cover thin and dry. In a slide mount, anal plates surrounded by membranous or sclerotized cuticle, not situated on a prominent process. Stigmatic spines, if distinctly differentiated from marginal setae, numbering 1‒7 in each cleft or in an approximate row on margin...................................................................... 9

9(8) Dorsum with more-or-less single line of abundant preopercular pores along midline from just anterior to anal plates to mesothorax........................................................................ Palaeolecanium Šulc

- Dorsal preopercular pores, if present, forming a group, not arranged in a long single line............................ 10

10(9) Ventral tubular ducts very few or absent, not forming a dense submarginal band...................... Coccus Linnaeus

- Ventral tubular ducts forming a concentrated submarginal band at least on abdomen and often on thorax and head also... 11

11(10) Each stigmatic cleft containing 4‒6 stigmatic setae arranged in 2 or 3 rows; stigmatic setae usually slightly longer than marginal setae.......................................................................... Ericerus Guérin-Méneville

- Each stigmatic cleft containing 0‒3 stigmatic setae in a single row; stigmatic setae longer than / subequal in length to / shorter than marginal setae.................................................................................. 12

12(11) Anal plates each with 1 discal seta........................................................ Saissetia Déplanche

- Anal plates without discal setae........................................................................ 13

13(12) Stigmatic setae well developed, numbering 3 of unequal lengths with median seta by far the longest ................... 14

- Stigmatic setae poorly differentiated or not differentiated from marginal setae, numbering 0‒3 of subequal lengths....... 15

14(13) Tibia freely articulating with tarsus, tibio-tarsal sclerosis present......................... Pulvinaria Targioni Tozzetti

- Tibia not freely articulating with tarsus, tibio-tarsal sclerosis absent.......................... Parthenolecanium Šulc

15(13) Stigmatic setae not differentiated from marginal setae. Ventral tubular ducts absent from front of head; dorsal tubular ducts absent..................................................................... Acanthopulvinaria Borchsenius

- Stigmatic setae usually somewhat differentiated from marginal setae. Ventral tubular ducts present on front of head; dorsal tubular ducts present................................................................................. 16

16(15) Ventral tubular ducts in submarginal band of 3 types ........................................................ 17

- Ventral tubular ducts in submarginal band of 1 or 2 types ..................................................... 18

17(16) Anal plates with outer corners angular. Stigmatic setae clearly differentiated from marginal setae, numbering 2 or 3 per stigmatic cleft. Dorsal tubular ducts with large terminal glands.................................. Rhizopulvinaria Borchsenius

- Anal plates with outer corners rounded. Stigmatic setae poorly or not differentiated from marginal setae, numbering 0‒2 per stigmatic cleft. Dorsal tubular ducts without large terminal glands........................ Anapulvinaria Borchsenius

18(16) Each leg freely articulated between tibia and tarsus, with a small tibio-tarsal sclerosis. At maturity, cuticle around anal plates does not becomes more sclerotized than rest of dorsum. Dorsal tubular ducts present.............................. 19

- Each leg not freely articulated between tibia and tarsus, without a tibio-tarsal sclerosis. At maturity, cuticle around anal plates becomes more sclerotized than rest of dorsum. Dorsal tubular ducts absent...................... Eulecanium Cockerell

19(18) Antenna with 6 segments. Marginal setae of 2 types, flagellate and spine-like. Dorsal setae flagellate. Dorsal tubular ducts without large terminal glands...................................................... Rhodococcus Borchsenius

- Antenna with 8 segments. Marginal setae all of 1 type. Dorsal setae conical. Dorsal tubular ducts with large terminal glands........................................................................................ Stotzia Marchal

Figures

FIGURE 9. Coccidae, general morphology of the adult female. A, antenna; B, stigmatic furrow; C, quinquelocular spiracular or stigmatic disc-pore; D, tubular ducts; E, ventral seta; F, hind tibia and trochanter; G, tibio-tarsal sclerosis; H, multilocular pregenital disc-pore; I, duct tubercle; J, marginal setae; K, stigmatic setae in shallow spiracular cleft; L, preopercular pore; M, dorsal view of anal plate.