Pseudococcidae, Heymons, 1915

Joshi, Sunil, Gupta, Ankita, Shashank, P. R., Pai, Sachin G., Mohan, M., Rachana, R. R., Dubey, Vinod Kumar, Sandeep, Angalakuditi & Deepthy, K. B., 2022, Recent adventive soft scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) and mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) in India, Zootaxa 5194 (2), pp. 213-232 : 215

Key to separate the families Pseudococcidae and Coccidae

1(0) Labium three segmented in adult stage.Anal area without anal plates or anal cleft; anal ring with three pairs of setae, normally on body surface. Ostioles normally present. Cerarii normally present, at least on anal lobe. Circuli numbering 0 or 1, occasionally more. Spiracular atrium not connected to body margin by furrow containing wax pores; without differentiated spiracular setae. Cuticle with swirled-type trilocular pores. Hind legs with translucent pores often present................ Pseudococcidae

- Labium one segmented in adult stage. Posterior apex of body usually with conspicuous anal cleft; anal area with paired anal plates; anal ring set at end of eversible anal tube. Spiracular atrium connected to body margin by furrow containing wax pores; differentiated spiracular setae present at outer end of spiracular furrow. Cuticle without swirled-type trilocular pores. Hind legs without translucent pores........................................................................ Coccidae

Four species of soft scale insect ( Fistulococcus pokfulamensis , Kilifia deltoides , Maacoccus piperis and Paralecanium machili ) and two species of mealybug ( Antonina thaiensis and Formicococcus simplicior ) being recorded from India for the first time in this work. They can be separated by using the following keys.

Key to separate the soft scale insects ( Coccidae ) reported in the present work

1(0) Stigmatic setae absent; submarginal chambered ducts present; legs very small......... F. pokfulamensis Hodgson & Martin

- Stigmatic setae present; submarginal chambered ducts absent; legs moderately or well developed..................... 2

2(1) Coxae of meso- and metathoracic legs much enlarged, each with anterolateral cavity. Each anal plate with anterior margin longer than posterior margin. Each middle and hind leg with tibio-tarsal spur.................... K. deltoides De Lotto

- Coxae all of similar size, each without coxal cavity. Each anal plate with anterior and posterior margins subequal. Each leg without tibio-tarsal spur................................................................................ 3

3(2) Each anal plate with entire exterior margin smoothly convex. Marginal setae sickle shaped. Each stigmatic cleft containing 9 or 13 stigmatic setae...................................................................... M. piperis (Green)

- Each anal plate with external margins straight and only outer angle rounded. Marginal setae fan-shaped. Each stigmatic cleft containing 3 stigmatic setae............................................................. P. machili Takahashi

Key to the mealybug species ( Pseudococcidae ) reported in the present study

1(0) Antenna 2 segmented. Legs, circulus, ostioles and cerarii absent. Anal lobes weakly developed. Anal ring situated at the inner end of anal tube. Disc-like pores present on venter posterior to posterior spiracles. Multilocular pores forming band around entire body margin................................................................... A. thaiensis Takahashi

- Antenna 8 segmented. Legs and circulus present, ostioles well developed. Cerarii numbering18 pairs.Anal lobes well developed. Anal ring situated on body surface. Disc-like pores absent from venter. Multilocular disc pores present on abdomen only, across medial areas and sparsely near margins................................................... F. simplicior (Green)

A detailed redescription of M. piperis and diagnoses of the remaining five species, each based on specimens collected from India, are given below.