Peliococcus turanicus (Kiritshenko)

Moghaddam, Masumeh, 2013, A review of the mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae, Putoidae and Rhizoecidae) of Iran, with descriptions of four new species and three new records for the Iranian fauna, Zootaxa 3632 (1), pp. 1-107 : 44-46

Peliococcus turanicus (Kiritshenko)

( Fig. 23 )

Phenacoccus turanicus Kiritshenko, 1932: 137 . Phenacoccus hilarius Kiritshenko, 1936a: 136 . Peliococcus terrestris Borchsenius, 1949: 254 . Peliococcus perfidiosus Borchsenius, 1949: 257 . Peliococcus unispinus Borchsenius & Ter- Grigorian, 1956: 23.

DIAGNOSIS. Mounted adult female elongate oval. Antennae 9 segmented. Legs well developed; claw with a distinct denticle. Cerarii numbering 14−18 pairs. Anal lobe cerarii with 2 lanceolate-slender setae, 6−8 trilocular pores, plus 1 or 2 small setae. Remaining cerarii with 2 lanceolate setae and 1 or 2 trilocular pores. Circulus quite large, apparently undivided. Both pairs of ostioles well developed. Dorsal setae of variable size, each sometimes with 1 or 2 trilocular pores situated near setal collar. Multilocular disc pores present on both surfaces; dorsally, arranged in rows or in clusters of 2−5 pores with a tubular duct at the center. Ventral multilocular disc pores present posterior to vulva, medially in 2 or 3 transverse rows on posterior edges of abdominal segments IV −VII, plus 1 or 2 on segments II and III; also in a group on margin and submargin of thorax and abdominal segments. Trilocular pores evenly distributed on dorsum and venter. Quinquelocular pores absent. Dorsal oral collar ducts of 2 sizes: large ducts near center of most clusters of multilocular disc pores on thorax and abdominal segments I −III, accompanied by 2−5 small ducts in clusters of multilocular disc pores on abdominal segments IV and V, and in rows on segments VI and VII. Ventrally, with small ducts present in rows across abdominal segments, and large ducts on head and thorax associated with clusters of multilocular disc pores, and on margins and submargins on abdominal segments.

DISTRIBUTION. Palaearctic: Armenia, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Crete, Georgia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. In Iran, P. t u r a n i c u s occurs in Esfahan, Markazi and Tehran. It is known from 16 plant families worldwide (Ben-Dov et al., 2012).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Esfahan: Ghamsar, West to Gohroud, 6 adult Ƥ, on Astragalus sp. ( Fabaceae ), 17.v.2009. 2489 m. Markazi: Arak, Toureh, 2 adult Ƥ, on Cardaria draba (Brassicaceae) , 12.vi. 2010, 1850 m. (M. Alikhani); Ashtiyan, 6 adult Ƥ, on root of Sisymbrium sophia (Brassicaceae) , 3.vi. 2012, 2052 m. (M.

Alikhani). Tehran: Tehran, Evin, 14 adult Ƥ, on root of Raphanus sativus (Brassicaceae) , 16.vi.2001 (M. Mofidi).

COMMENTS. P. turanicus usually lives on the root of its host plants. The extensive study by Danzig (2001) indicates that this species is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region. No damage by this mealybug has been reported in Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 23. Adult female Peliococcus turanicus (Kiritshenko)