Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius)

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 : 74-76

Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius)

( Fig. 30 , distribution map Fig. 91K )

Chermes persicae Fabricius, 1776: 304 . Lecanium (Parthenolecanium) persicae (Fabricius) ; Šulc 1932: 75. Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius) ; Borchsenius 1957: 350.

Field characteristics: Live adult females often elongate oval to oval, with a median longitudinal dorsal keel; shape and colour variable with age, young females yellow streaked with light brown, mature females reddish brown, 5‒10 mm long.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body oval. Stigmatic clefts quite shallow. Anal cleft about 1/6 th body length.

Dorsum. Derm membranous in young specimens, becoming slightly sclerotized at maturity but without thicker sclerotization around anal plates. Setae of 2 sizes, both stout, conical and pointed: (i) larger setae present medially in a band from anal plates to anterior margin of body; and (ii) smaller setae scattered throughout. Pores of 2 types: (i) small, circular simple pores, scattered throughout, and (ii) bilocular microducts, each with an inner filament. Preopercular pores moderately large, circular with granular centre, present in a small group just anterior to anal plates. Duct tubercles normal, numbering 12−21 on each side. Tubular ducts absent. Pocket-like sclerotizations present. Anal plates together quadrate, each with 4 small setae on apex and along inner margin. Anal ring with 8 setae present.

Margin. Marginal setae slender and pointed, some curved; present more-or-less in 2 rows; those on either side of anal cleft longer and more hairlike. Stigmatic setae in groups of 3 in each stigmatic area; median seta slightly longer than lateral setae.

Venter. Derm completely membranous. Pregenital disc-pores mostly each with 10 loculi, abundant around anogenital fold, becoming progressively fewer across preceding abdominal segments; also a few present mesad to each coxa and laterad to each metacoxa. Spiracular disc-pores each with 5 loculi, present in a band between margin and each spiracle; posterior spiracular disc-pores uniting with multilocular disc-pore band between mesothoracic coxae. Microducts abundant in submarginal band and near labium. Tubular ducts of 3 types, 2 of which have inner ductule much narrower than outer ductule: (i) small ducts, present in small submarginal groups between antennal bases; (ii) slightly larger ducts, each with outer ductule rather longer than type (i) and with a large terminal gland, rather sparse, intermixed with type (iii) ducts; and (iii) large ducts, each with inner ductule as wide as or wider than outer ductule, in a broad submarginal band extending from anterior to each antenna to near anal cleft. Three pregenital segments each with a pair of long setae; also with 2–5 pairs between antennae; other setae sparse and small. Legs well developed, each with tibio-tarsal sclerotization and free articulation; claw with a minute denticle; claw digitules with 1 broader than other; tarsal digitules both fine and longer than claw. Antennae each with 8 segments, segments III and IV subequal and longer than other segments.

Distribution: Parthenolecanium persicae is a cosmopolitan species ( García Morales et al. 2016); in Iran, it is found in Esfahan and Tehran provinces ( Moghaddam 2013).

Host-plants: The species is polyphagous, having has been recorded on host-plants in more than 50 genera belonging to 34 families ( García Morales et al. 2016). In Iran, it has been recorded on Morus alba ( Moraceae ) ( Moghaddam 2013).

Economic importance: Not of any economic importance in Iran.

Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Adult female of Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius), reproduced from Gill (1988) page 68, fig. 24, with permission from the author and California Department of Food & Agriculture, Sacramento, California, USA.

FIGURE 91. Distribution maps of scale insect species in Iran covered in this work. A, Kermes quercus (Linnaeus); B, Kermes spatulatus Balachowsky; C, Neoacanthococcus pamiricus (Bazarov); D, Neoacanthococcus tamaricicola Borchsenius; E, Nidularia balachowskii Bodenheimer; F, Orthezia urticae (Linnaeus); G, Ortheziola marottai Kaydan & Szita; H, Palaeolecanium bituberculatum (Signoret); I, Palmaspis phoenicis (Ramachandra Rao); J, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouché); K, Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius); L, Phoenicococcus marlatti Cockerell.