Peliococcopsis priesneri (Laing)

MOGHADDAM, MASUMEH & WATSON, GILLIAN W., 2022, The Scale Insects Of Iran (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) Part 2 The Mealybugs (Pseudococcidae And Rhizoecidae) And Putoidae, Zootaxa 5126 (1), pp. 1-169 : 76-78

Peliococcopsis priesneri (Laing)

( Fig. 30 , distribution map Fig. 68 E )

Phenacoccus priesneri Laing, 1936: 80 . Phenacoccus caucasicus Borchsenius, 1937: 54 .

Field characteristics: Not recorded.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female elongate oval, membranous. Antennae each with 9 segments. Legs well developed; claw with a denticle. Hind leg with translucent pores on dorsal surface of tibia; tarsal digitules pointed at tip and shorter thank claw. Cerarii usually numbering 18 pairs, but sometimes indistinguishable on mesothorax, metathorax, and anterior abdominal segments (because cerarian setae widely separated or single). Anal lobe cerarii each with 2 conical setae, 2 short setae and a few trilocular pores. Circulus absent. Ostioles well developed.

Dorsum with long stiff setae, some on posterior abdominal segments longer than those situated more anteriorly. Multilocular disc pores arranged in clusters of 5−9 pores, with 1 slender oral collar tubular duct near the center of each cluster; clusters forming transverse lines on posterior edges of segments. Quinquelocular disc pores scattered. Trilocular pores sparsely distributed.

Venter with normal flagellate setae. Multilocular disc pores each with 10 loculi, present in clusters of 5−9 pores, with 1 slender oral collar duct near center of each cluster, arranged mainly along body margin and across abdominal segments II and III; also pores present singly on head and posterior edges of abdominal segments IV−VII, and on anterior edge of abdominal segment VII. Quinquelocular disc pores scattered. Trilocular pores sparse, mostly replaced by quinquelocular pores except for a few near spiracular openings and on margins. Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 sizes: larger ducts present on abdominal segments; slightly smaller ducts located in clusters of multilocular pores.

Distribution: Peliococcopsis priesneri is known from 12 countries in the Palaearctic Region including Iran ( García Morales et al. 2016), where it has been recorded from Fars province ( Moghaddam 2006). Host-plants: The species has been recorded on host-plants in 2 genera belonging to the family Poaceae ( García Morales et al. 2016) . In Iran, P. priesneri has been recorded on Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) ( Moghaddam 2006). Economic importance: None. Natural enemies: None recorded. Comments: The accompanying illustration is reproduced from Moghaddam (2013a), page 38, Fig. 19 , with kind permission from the Chief Editor of Zootaxa.

Genus PELIOCOCCUS Borchsenius

Peliococcus Borchsenius, 1948a: 954 . Type species: Phenacoccus chersonensis Kiritshenko by original designation. Acanthococcus Kiritshenko, 1936: 155 (junior homonym of Acantococcus Signoret, 1875). Eupeliococcus Săvescu, 1985: 116 . Parapedronia Balachowsky, 1953b: 283 .

Principal characters: Slide-mounted adult female oval to elongate oval. Anal lobe well developed. Antennae each with 9 segments. Legs well developed; claw with a denticle. Tarsal digitules hair-like, not capitate; claw digitules knobbed. Cerarii numbering 15‒18 pairs, each normally situated on an elevated area, with 2 enlarged setae and 1‒3 trilocular pores. Posterior spiracles always larger than anterior pair. Circulus usually present, rarely absent. Both pairs of ostioles well developed. Dorsal setae of 2 sizes: enlarged setae similar to cerarian setae, each with 1 or sometimes 2 trilocular pores near basal socket and situated on an elevated area; and smaller spine-like setae randomly distributed on membranous cuticle. Venter with most setae slender and hair-like, but setae on submargin spine-like, forming a longitudinal row. Dorsal multilocular disc pores, when present, sometimes forming clusters containing oral collar tubular ducts, either of 2 different sizes or with only the widest type of tubular duct. Ventral clusters of multilocular disc pores and ducts concentrated in submarginal zone. Ventral quinquelocular disc pores normally present in median areas of thorax and abdomen, rarely absent. Trilocular pores on dorsum often slightly larger than those on venter, scattered. Ventral oral collar tubular ducts of up to 3 sizes, differing in their lengths and widths. Anal ring with 1 or 2 outer rows and 1 inner row of pores, and 6 setae.

Comments: Worldwide, 36 species are included in Peliococcus ( García Morales et al. 2016) ; three species are known from Iran ( Moghaddam 2013a; Moghaddam & Mohammadi-Khorramabadi 2015).

Key to species of Peliococcus in Iran

1(0) Oral collar tubular ducts of 1 size....................................................... marubii (Kiritshenko)

- Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 or 3 sizes.................................................................... 2

2(1) Quinquelocular pores abundant throughout venter...................................... chersonensis (Kiritshenko)

- Quinquelocular pores absent from venter................................................ turanicus (Kiritshenko)

Figures

FIGURE 19. Adult female of Erimococcus talhouki (Matile-Ferrero), reprinted from Matile-Ferrero (1984).

FIGURE 30. Adult female of Peliococcopsis priesneri (Laing). © Magnolia Press, www.mapress.com/j/zt, reproduced with the copyright holder’s permission.

FIGURE 68. Maps of species distributions in Iran. A. Mirococcus inermis (Hall); B. Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead); C. Paracoccus burnerae (Brain); D. Paracoccus ficus Moghaddam; E. Peliococcopsis priesneri (Laing); F. Peliococcus chersonensis (Kiritshenko); G. Peliococcus marrubii (Kiritshenko); H. Peliococcus turanicus (Kiritshenko); I. Pelionella grassiana (Goux); J. Phenacoccus aceris (Signoret); K. Phenacoccus arthrophyti Archangelskaya; L. Phenacoccus betae Moghaddam.