Phenacoccus betae Moghaddam, sp. n.

Phenacoccus betae Moghaddam sp. n.

(Fig. 2)

Described from 4 specimens in good condition

Habit. On the root of the host plant.

Description. Body of mounted adult female broadly oval, largest specimen available 3.28 mm long and 1.95 mm wide. Anal lobes poorly developed, each ventral surface bearing an apical seta 150–160 µm long. Antennae each 340–360 µm long, with 9 segments. Legs well developed; hind trochanter + femur 216–225 µm long, hind tibia + tarsus 235–245 µm long; claw about 25 µm long, with a denticle. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia + tarsus to trochanter + femur 1:1.08–1.10. Ratio of lengths of hind tibia to tarsus about 1:2.7. Translucent pores small and difficult to observe, present on hind femur and tibia. Circulus absent. Ostioles well developed, with inner edges of lips weakly sclerotized, each lip with a few trilocular pores and without setae. Anal ring about 63 µm long and 57 µm wide, with 2 rows of pores and bearing 3 pairs of setae, each seta about 70 µm long. Cerarii numbering 7 pairs: 4 pairs present on head (C1–4) and 3 on last segments of abdomen (C16–18); anal lobe cerarii each containing a pair of short, slender and conical setae, each about 15µm long, plus a few trilocular pores, situated on a membranous area; C17 and C16 each with 2 short setae and 2 trilocular pores. Frontal, ocular and C4 cerarii each with 2 short, conical setae and 1 trilocular pore, while each preocular pair (C2) has 3 setae and 2 trilocular pores. Sometimes cerarian setae not longer than dorsal setae.

Dorsal surface with short lanceolate setae, each mostly about 10 µm long. Multilocular disc pores each about 7.5 µm in diameter, present across posterior edges of abdominal segments V–VII. Large-type oral collar tubular ducts, numbering 2–4 on the head, 6–12 on each thoracic segment and 6–12 on each abdominal segments I–VII. Trilocular pores evenly dispersed. Discoidal pores minute, scattered. Quinquelocular pores absent.

Ventral surface with normal flagellate setae. Multilocular disc pores same as those on dorsum, present in single to double rows on posterior edges of abdominal segments III–VII and along anterior edges of abdominal segments VII and VIII. Trilocular pores evenly distributed. Discoidal pores very sparse. Quinquelocular pores few, present next to mouthparts. Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 sizes; a large type, same as that on dorsum, present sparsely across all segments, and a narrow type present more abundantly on posterior abdominal segments.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE, adult Ƥ, Iran, Kermanshah Province, Kermanshah, on Beta vulgaris (Betulaceae), Leg. unknown, May, 1973 (IRIPP).

PARATYPES, Iran. Same data as holotype, 3 adult Ƥ (IRIPP).

Etymology. The name is based on the generic name of the host plant, Beta.

Comments. Phenacoccus betae comes close to P. kochiae Danzig, described from Kazakhstan on Kochia protrata but differs in lacking the groups of trilocular pores lateral to the spiracles and in possessing dorsal oral collar tubular ducts on all segments. P. b e t a e is distinguishable by the hind legs with translucent pores, a few quinquelocolar pores on the cephalothorax and the presence of multilocular pores only on the abdominal segments.