Acanthococcus isacanthus Danzig

(Fig. 50, distribution map Fig. 88C)

Acanthococcus isacanthus Danzig, 1975: 45 .

Field characteristics: Body of live adult female ovoid, brown, about 2 mm long. Ovisac white, with slight transverse ribs and waxy spines on margin.

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted body of adult female oval, tapering posteriorly. Antennae each with 7 segments, with segment III of similar length to segments II and IV. Frontal lobes present. Eyes situated on margins. Legs small; each hind coxa and femur with spinulae on anterior surfaces; hind coxa without translucent pores; tarsus longer than tibia; tibia elongate, not enlarged, with 4 setae (median seta absent); tarsal and claw (not illustrated) digitules all slightly knobbed, longer than claw; each claw with a denticle. Anal lobes prominent, each lobe with acute apex, heavily sclerotized, with numerous teeth on mesad margin; with 3 dorsal enlarged setae and 3 ventral slender hair-like setae, and a suranal seta. Anal ring dorsal, incomplete (with anterior margin open), with pores rather irregularly arranged and bearing 6 setae. Cauda present.

Dorsum with enlarged setae normally of 3 sizes: each segment with 2 or 3 large setae on each margin, each seta less than 2x as long as a dorsal enlarged seta; medial area of abdominal segment VIII without enlarged setae. Macrotubular ducts present throughout. Microtubular ducts numerous.

Venter with hair-like setae elongate; enlarged setae of smallest size, present along body margin. Apical labial segment with 5 pairs of long setae and 1 shorter apical pair. Quinquelocular pores numerous throughout. Macrotubular ducts of 2 sizes: (i) larger size numerous along body margin; and (ii) smaller size fewer, present in medial or sublateral areas. Microtubular ducts absent. Cruciform pores present along lateral margins.

Distribution: Acanthococcus isacanthus is a Palaearctic species, known from China (Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi), North and South Korea, Russia (Primor’ye Kray) and Iran, Kermanshah province (García Morales et al. 2016, Torabi et al. 2010).

Host-plants: The scale has been recorded on three host-plant species belonging to the families Fabaceae, Rosaceae and Ulmaceae (García Morales et al. 2016) . In Iran, it was collected on Ulmus spp. ( Ulmaceae) (Torabi et al. 2010).

Economic importance: Not known as a pest in Iran.

Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.