Dysmicoccus caspianensis Moghaddam

Dysmicoccus caspianensis Moghaddam

(Fig. 15, distribution map Fig. 67 B)

Dysmicoccus caspiansis Moghaddam, 2018: 181.

Field characteristics: Not recorded.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female elongate oval. Antennae each with 8 segments. Legs well developed; hind leg with translucent pores on ventral and dorsal surfaces of femur and tibia. Claw moderately stout, without a denticle; claw digitules knobbed; tarsal digitules each pointed at tip and longer than claw. Cerarii numbering 7 pairs, all situated on abdominal segments; anal lobe cerarii each containing 2 enlarged conical setae, 4 or 5 auxiliary setae, and a group of trilocular pores, all situated on a lightly sclerotized area. Circulus absent. Ostioles well developed. Anal ring situated at apex of abdomen, with 2 rows of pores and 6 setae.

Dorsum with long, slender flagellate setae. Trilocular pores present in a regular arrangement. Discoidal pores minute, scattered. Oral collar tubular ducts of 2 sizes, forming groups of 3, groups distributed mainly across dorsal segments; each group usually comprising 2 large ducts on either side of 1 small duct; single ducts of either size present also.

Venter with most setae similar to dorsal setae but usually slightly longer. Multilocular pores each with 10 loculi, present in more-or-less single rows at posterior edges of abdominal segments V‒VII, not reaching to margins; present also posterior to vulva. Trilocular pores evenly distributed. Discoidal pores same as those on dorsum, scattered. Oral collar tubular duct groups same as those on dorsum, present mainly around margins; small ducts present across median areas of abdomen, thorax, and submedian areas of head.

Distribution: This Iranian species has been recorded from Qazvin province (Moghaddam 2018).

Host-plants: Dysmicoccus caspianensis has been recorded on Poaceae (Moghaddam 2018).

Economic importance: None.

Natural enemies: Not recorded.

Comments: The accompanying illustration is reproduced from Moghaddam (2018), page 182, Fig. 1, with kind permission from the Chief Editor of Zootaxa.