Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana)

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 : 71

Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana)

( Fig. 39 )

Dactylopius comstocki Kuwana, 1902: 52 .

DIAGNOSIS. Adult female broadly oval. Antennae 8 segmented. Legs well developed; translucent pores numerous on hind coxa, femur and tibia. Cerarii numbering 17 pairs. Anal lobe cerarii each with 2 enlarged conical setae, plus about 7 or 8 auxiliary setae and some trilocular pores, all on an oval sclerotized area, smaller in area than anal ring. Anterior cerarii each with 2 smaller conical setae, plus 2–4 auxiliary setae and a few trilocular pores, except on mesothorax (C12) and head, where each cerarius with 3 conical setae. Circulus divided by an intersegmental line. Both pairs of ostioles well developed. Dorsal and ventral surface with long, slender setae. Multilocular disc pores absent on dorsum; ventrally present on anterior and posterior edges of abdominal segments IV–VII, a few on segments 1–III, and posterior of vulva; not reaching margins; a few pores also present medially on thorax. Trilocular pores evenly distributed on dorsum and venter. Discoidal pores scattered on dorsum and venter, but absent from next to eyes. Dorsal oral rim ducts often with a discoidal pore next to rim margin, near a few cerarii, and always with 1 behind each frontal cerarius; also present submarginally on abdomen, and on midline of abdominal segments VI and VII; ventral oral rim ducts slightly smaller than those on dorsum, present in small numbers on margins of thorax and abdominal segments I and II. Dorsal oral collar ducts normally of 2 sizes: long ducts on margins of posterior segments, and slightly shorter ducts around margins and across thoracic segments. Ventral oral collar ducts of 3 main sizes: a large type, similar to dorsal medial ducts, fairly mumerous around margins from anal lobes forwards to area between antennal bases; narrower type present across medial areas of abdominal segments III–VII, anterior to multilocular disc pores, and laterally next to inner edges of large type, and a minute duct across middle of abdominal segments, plus a few scattered medially on head and thorax.

DISTRIBUTION. Afrotropical, Australasian, Nearctic, Neotropical, Palaearctic: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In Iran, P. c o m s t o c k i occurs in Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Kerman, Mazandaran, Tehran and Yazd. This mealybug is known from 40 plant families (Ben-Dov et al., 2012).

EXAMINED MATERIAL: Ghazvin: Ghazvin, 5 adult Ƥ, on Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae) , 25.i.2008 (Gharaii). Gilan: Rasht, Shaft, Chouber, 2 adult Ƥ, unknown plant, 21.vii.2009 (Hoseini); Rasht, Pesikhan, 3 adult Ƥ, on Morus alba (Moraceae) , 29.vii.2009 (Hoseini). Mazandaran: Sari, Neka, 2 adult Ƥ, on Glycine sp. ( Fabaceae ), 4.xi.2002 (Keyhanian). Tehran: Tehran, 3 adult Ƥ, on M. nigra , 22.ix.2012 (Z. Ghanbari).

COMMENTS. P. comstocki occurs on the aerial parts of the host plants and, although known as a pest of ornamentals and fruit trees elsewhere, has not been reported as causing damage in Iran. A molecular identification of three of the most important mealybug species, including P. comstocki , has been undertaken in the north of Iran (Hosseini & Hajizadeh, 2011).

The accompanying illustration first appeared in Mealybugs of Central and South America, Williams & Granara de Willink (1992) with kind permission from the authors.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Adult female Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana).