Asterodiaspis quercicola (Bouché)

(Fig. 4, Plate 1A, distribution map Fig. 89B)

Lecanium quercicola Bouché, 1851: 112 . Asterodiaspis quercicola (Bouché); Borchsenius 1960: 197.

Field characters: Adult females live on bark, in shallow or deep pits; body of adult female nearly circular, slightly to distinctly convex dorsally, with posterior end flattened; usually greenish, sometimes brownish yellow; test transparent and often shiny.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body nearly circular, posterior end sometimes slightly produced. Antennae each thimble-shaped, bearing 2 setae nearly as long as diameter of antenna. Anal lobes not developed; apex of abdomen with 1 pair of long setae. Anal opening situated on dorsal surface, with margin sclerotized, bearing 2 setae on anterior edge.

Dorsum. Marginal 8-shaped pores present in a single row around body. Tubular ducts and minute dorsal 8- shaped pores numerous; disc-pores fairly numerous.

Venter. Spiracular bar expanded at inner end, roughly triangular; spiracular furrow between each spiracle and margin of body containing 45–65 quinquelocular disc-pores. Quinquelocular disc-pores present in a single row on inner ventral edge of marginal 8-shaped pore row. Multilocular disc-pores present in 4 transverse rows on posterior abdominal segments. A group of 7–10 ventral 8-shaped pores present on each side of mouthparts.

Distribution: Asterodiaspis quercicola is known from 24 countries in the Afrotropical, Australasian, Nearctic and Palaearctic regions (García Morales et al. 2016); in Iran, it has been recorded from Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari, Fars, Ilam, Kermanshah, Khouzestan, Kohgiluyeh & Boryerahmad, Kurdistan and Lorestan provinces (Moghaddam 2013).

Host-plants: The species has been recorded only on Quercus spp. ( Fagaceae) (García Morales et al. 2016).

Economic importance: None in Iran.

Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.