Peliococcus chersonensis

Peliococcus chersonensis (Kiritshenko)

(Fig. 31, distribution map Fig. 68 F)

Phenacoccus chersonensis Kiritshenko, 1936: 138. Spinococcus artemisiae Tereznikova, 1968: 281. Peliococcus lycicola Tang, 1992: 598.

Field characteristics: Living on the roots of the host-plant.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female elongate oval. Antennae each with 9 segments. Legs well developed; claw with a denticle; hind legs without translucent pores; tarsal digitules pointed at tip and shorter than claw. Cerarii numbering 17 pairs, each cerarius normally situated on an elevated area, with 2 enlarged setae and 1–3 trilocular pores, except C 3 with 3 enlarged setae and 3 or 4 trilocular pores. Anal lobe cerarii each with 2 enlarged setae, 5–7 trilocular pores and 1 spine-like auxiliary seta. Circulus present, situated between abdominal segments III and IV, and divided by intersegmental line. Anterior and posterior ostioles present.

Dorsum with setae of 2 sizes: conical enlarged setae similar to cerarian setae forming longitudinal rows on body, situated on elevated areas, each elevation with 1 or 2 setae and 1 or 2 trilocular pores near basal socket(s); and smaller spine-like setae, randomly distributed on membranous cuticle among the larger setae. Multilocular disc pores present on posterior abdominal segments, either singly or grouped with oral collar tubular ducts either of 2 sizes or with only the widest type of duct. Trilocular pores scattered. Quinquelocular pores absent.

Venter with slender setae of various sizes; setae on submargin spine-like. Multilocular disc pores occurring in clusters and singly on posterior abdominal segments, especially around vulva, also present on thorax and head. Quinquelocular pores present mainly in median areas of thorax and abdomen. Trilocular pores scattered throughout. Oral collar tubular ducts of up to 3 sizes, differing in their lengths and widths. Clusters of multilocular disc pores and associated ducts present in submarginal zones.

Distribution: Peliococcus chersonensis is known from France and Iran in the Palaearctic Region (García Morales et al. 2016). In Iran, it has been recorded from Yazd province (Moghaddam & Mohammadi-Khoramabadi 2015).

Host-plants: Peliococcus chersonensis has been recorded on hosts in nine plant families (García Morales et al. 2016). In Iran, it has been collected on Artemisia sp. (Asteraceae) (Moghaddam & Mohammadi-Khoramabadi 2015).

Economic importance: None.

Natural enemies: None recorded.

Comments: The Iranian specimens of P. chersonensis differ from the descriptions by Ter-Grigorian (1973) and Danzig (2001) in having dorsal clusters of multilocular pores present only on the abdominal segments; those in the descriptions by Ter-Grigorian (1973) and Danzig (2001) had clusters of multilocular pores on all body segments.

The accompanying illustration is reproduced from Moghaddam & Mohammadi-Khorramabadi (2015), page 43, Fig. 2, with kind permission from the Editor of Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics.