Asterodiaspis bella

Asterodiaspis bella (Russell) (Fig. 2) Asterolecanium bellum Russell, 1941: 50. Asterodiaspis bella (Russell); Borchsenius 1960: 179. Field characters: Adult females live on bark, usually in shallow pits, and are occasionally found on the lower surfaces of leaves (not seen in Iran). Body of adult female circular to nearly ovoid, convex dorsally, greenish or brownish. Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body nearly circular, posterior end slightly produced. Antennae unsegmented, each bearing 2 spine-like setae, each slightly longer than diameter of antenna, and 2 small hair-like setae. Anal opening apparently ventral, situated on body surface rather close to margin, nearly circular, with margin slightly sclerotized, normally bearing 2 setae. Dorsum. Marginal 8-shaped pores present in a single row that continues across apex of abdomen between apical seta bases. Dorsal 8-shaped pores scattered, present or absent at posterior end; disc-pores fairly numerous. Tubular ducts present. Venter. Spiracles each with or without a group of 5 or 6 quinquelocular disc-pores outside spiracular opening; spiracular furrow between each spiracle and margin of body containing 22‒38 quinquelocular disc-pores.Multilocular disc-pores present in 2 or 3 segmental rows, each containing 1‒4 pores. Distribution: Asterodiaspis bella is known from 10 countries in the Palaearctic region including Iran (García Morales et al. 2016), from whence it was recorded by Kozár et al. (1996) without any details of the location or host-plant. Host-plants: The species has been recorded only on Quercus spp. (Fagaceae) (García Morales et al. 2016). Economic importance: None recorded. Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.