Neoacanthococcus, Borchsenius

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 : 124-126

Genus NEOACANTHOCOCCUS Borchsenius

Neoacanthococcus Borchsenius, 1948: 502 . Type species: Neoacanthococcus tamaricicola Borchsenius by monotypy and original designation.

Diagnostic characters of the adult female: Slide-mounted, body broadly oval.Antennae each with 6 or 7 segments. Frontal lobes and/or frontal tubercles present. Labium 3 segmented, basal segment well developed, with 2 pairs of setae. Legs well developed; each hind coxa with translucent pores; tibia with 4 setae (median seta absent), claw and tarsal digitules pointed apically; claw with a denticle. Dorsal tubular ducts all of 1 size and heavily sclerotized, present throughout; ventral tubular ducts of 2 sizes. Microtubular ducts present on dorsum. Disc-pores each with 3‒5 loculi in a single ring, present on venter. Cruciform pores present on venter. Enlarged setae nearly hair-like and curved slightly, with apices either blunt or sharply pointed, mainly distributed in rows across segments and forming a marginal band. Anal lobes well developed, each lobe with 3 dorsal spine-like setae; ventral surface with a long apical seta and 2 shorter subapical setae. Anal ring well developed, with 1 row of pores and bearing 8 setae, each seta usually shorter than diameter of ring. Cauda present.

Comments: Worldwide, six species are included in Neoacanthococcus at present ( García Morales et al. 2016); only N. tamaricicola Borchsenius and N. pamiricus (Bazarov) are known from Iran ( Moghaddam 2009 and 2013).

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

1(0) Dorsum with quinquelocular pores on posterior abdominal segments. Frontal lobes and frontal tubercles both present. Hind leg with translucent pores on both coxa and femur.......................................... tamaricicola Borchsenius

- Dorsum without quinquelocular pores. Frontal lobes present but frontal tubercles absent. Hind leg with translucent pores on coxa only........................................................................... pamiricus (Bazarov)