Suturaspis davatchi ( Balachowsky & Kaussari, 1951 )

Hosseininaveh, Fatemeh, Nozari, Jamasb, Kaydan, Mehmet Bora & Hosseininaveh, Vahid, 2016, Molecular and morphological identification of pistachio armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4200 (4), pp. 523-543 : 535

Suturaspis davatchi ( Balachowsky & Kaussari, 1951)

Figures 4 and 5 .

Synonyms. Salicicola davatchi, Balachowsky & Kaussari 1951 ; Salicicola davatschii Balachowsky, 1953 ; Suturaspis davatchi Borchsenius, 1966 ; Salicicola davatchii Danzig & Pellizzari, 1998 ( García et al. 2016) .

Material examined. 5 adult females on 1 slide and 8 second-instar female on 1 slide, Iran, Kerman, Noogh, N: 30°46'48", E: 55°50'30", 1,372 m, on branches and trunk of Pistacia vera , coll: F. Hosseininaveh, 6.i.2013, coll. no: SN-130.

Field Characters. Female scale cover 1.2–1.4 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide, straight or slightly curved, more or less convex, narrow or slightly wider towards posterior end; larval exuviae pale yellow, situated at narrow end, secreted part of cover pure white, matte, with slightly raised transverse ridges.

Slide-mounted characteristics. Adult female elongate, almost oval, slightly narrowed anterior to pygidium, 0.63–0.81 (0.74) mm long and 0.37–0.47 (0.42) mm wide ( Fig. 4 ). Cuticle membranous, except on mid-line of ventral prepygidial segments as far anteriorly as mesothorax, and 2 ventral chitinous thickenings in submargins of abdominal segments VII and VIII. Antenna with 2 very long, soft setae. Anterior spiracles each with 2 pores. Posterior perispiracular pores absent. Pygidium short, narrow, semi-circular, membranous on both surfaces but finely spiculated; without any trace of pectinae; margin very finely wavy, with some short and separate submedial, submarginal and marginal setae. Anal opening thick-rimmed with large diameter, subcircular, 10–15 (12) µm long and 15–20 (17) µm wide. Dorsal macroducts very few, each duct short and narrow, with inconspicuous oval opening on margin; 3 single ducts 10 or 11 µm long on each side, on segments VI–VIII. Vulvar opening wide, surrounded by radial lines. Perivulvar pores and ventral tubular glands absent.

Second-instar female oval, 0.68–0.81 (0.74) mm long and 0.43–0.55 (0.49) mm wide, without prepygidial narrowing ( Fig. 5 ). Antenna with 3 setae. Anterior spiracles each with 2 pores. Pygidium short, marginal ornamentation highly simplified, with a series of short, irregular and rounded prominences on segments VII and VIII. Pygidium without any distinct pectinae. Anal opening subcircular, 5–8 (7) µm long and 8–10 (10) µm wide, located at anterior end of pygidium. Submedial and submarginal macroducts numerous throughout dorsum and venter from prothorax to pygidium, all similar in size and shape each 8–12 (10) µm long. Ventral marginal area of abdominal segments V–VIII of pygidium containing slightly larger macroducts in groups of 2–3, total 10–11 on each side. A few patches of thickened cuticle present in submarginal area of pygidium on both surfaces.

Hosts. Pistacia sp., P. khinjuk Stocks ; P. vera L. ( Anacardiaceae ); Ficus carica L. ( Moraceae ) ( García et al. 2016).

Distribution. Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey ( García et al. 2016).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Adult female of Suturaspis davatchi Balachowsky & Kaussari, illustration by Hosseininaveh.

FIGURE 5. Second-instar female of Suturaspis davatchi Balachowsky & Kaussari, illustration by Hosseininaveh.