Saissetia, Deplanche

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 : 94

Genus SAISSETIA Déplanche

Saissetia Déplanche, 1859: 6 . Type species: Lecanium coffeae Walker by subsequent designation Ben-Dov 1989: 114‒118. Bernardia Ashmead, 1891: 100 .

Diagnostic characters of the adult female: In life, body of fully mature adults very convex (hemispherical); dorsum of nymphs and young adults with a distinctive, raised “H” formed by narrow raised ridges (carinae) but this disappears in mature adult female. Slide-mounted body oval, dorsum with numerous oval areolations quite close together; duct tubercles and pocket-like sclerotizations usually present (but occasionally both absent); preopercular pores present. Margins with at least some marginal setae fimbriate; spiracular clefts developed, shallow, each containing 3 unequal spiracular setae. Anal cleft moderately deep; anal plates each triangular, with a large discal seta in addition to apical setae. Venter with pregenital disc-pores mainly scattered around anogenital fold, not extending into prothorax medially; tubular ducts of 1‒ 3 types, present in submarginal band; legs with tibia and tarsus articulated, with articulatory sclerosis usually present; both claw digitules broad. Antennae 8 segmented.

Comments: Worldwide, 46 species are included in Saissetia ( García Morales et al. 2016) ; three species are known from Iran ( Kaussari 1957; Moghaddam et al. 2015b).

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

1(0) Ventral tubular ducts in submarginal band of 2 main types, present in 2 separate zones; outer zone containing ducts each with inner filament slender, and inner zone containing ducts each with inner filament about as wide as outer ductule................................................................................................. coffeae (Walker)

- Ventral tubular ducts in submarginal band present in single zone containing ducts of only 1 type, each duct with inner filament slender............................................................................................. 2

2(1) Marginal setae numbering 40−60 between anterior stigmatic clefts, and about 17−20 on each side between anterior and posterior stigmatic clefts................................................................ miranda (Cockerell & Parrott)

- Marginal setae numbering fewer than 30 between anterior stigmatic clefts, and 10 or fewer on each side between anterior and posterior stigmatic clefts..................................................................... oleae (Olivier)