Bodenheimera rachelae

Bodenheimera rachelae (Bodenheimer) (Fig. 13, Plate 1G, distribution map Fig. 89D) Lecanium (Eulecanium) racheli Bodenheimer, 1924: 68. Bodenheimera racheli (Bodenheimer); Bodenheimer 1935: 251. Bodenheimera rachelae (Bodenheimer); Ben-Dov 1969: 70. Field characteristics: Live adult female broadly oval to circular, flat; general colouration of dorsum dark grey. Old adult females turn darker, and dorsum becomes strongly sclerotic, black, covered all over with a thin white secretion. Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body broadly oval to pear-shaped. Stigmatic clefts absent. Anal cleft shallow and fairly wide. Dorsum. Derm membranous in young females, becoming heavily sclerotized at maturity. Setae spinose, straight or slightly curved, few, scattered throughout. Pores of 2 types: (i) small, circular to oval, with a granulate surface, present throughout; and (ii) much larger, bilocular figure-of-eight pore, present submarginally and medially. Preopercular pores absent. Tubular ducts of 2 types: (i) duct with wide outer ductule and short inner ductule with a well-developed terminal gland, present throughout; and (ii) smaller duct with a narrower outer ductule and no terminal gland, rather less frequent than type (i). Duct tubercles absent. Anal plates together more-or-less quadrate; each plate with 4 spinose setae including a large discal seta and a smaller seta on inner margin. Anal ring bearing 6 setae. Margin with straight to slightly curved spinose setae, sharply pointed, present in 2 or 3 rows; marginal setae extending up margins of anal cleft. Venter. Derm entirely membranous. Pregenital disc-pores mostly each with 10 loculi, present in small group on either side of anogenital fold, abundant across preceding segments and then gradually becoming less frequent on more anterior abdominal segments; a few also present mesad and laterad to each metacoxa. Spiracular disc-pores mostly each with 5 loculi, present in broad bands between each spiracle and margin, also a few present a short distance medially to spiracle. Microducts present almost throughout, but scarce or absent medially on posterior abdominal segments. Ventral tubular ducts of 2 types: (i) duct rather similar to type (i) duct on dorsum, present in a narrow marginal band; and (ii) smaller duct with narrower outer ductule. Each of 3 pregenital segments with a pair of long setae; also with 1 large pair and up to 3 smaller pairs of interantennal setae between antennal bases. Legs relatively small, each with tibia and tarsus separate but no articulatory sclerosis; each claw with a small denticle; claw digitules both broad and distinctly shorter than tarsal digitules. Antennae rather short, each with 7 segments. Distribution: Bodenheimera rachelae is known from Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Türkiye (Turkey) (García Morales et al. 2016); in Iran, it is found in Ilam, Kermanshah and Lorestan provinces (Moghaddam 2013). Host-plants: The scale has been recorded on host-plants in the genus Vitex (Lamiaceae) (García Morales et al. 2016). In Iran, it has been found on Vitex cf. pseudonegundo (Moghaddam 2013). Economic importance: Not of any economic importance in Iran. Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.