Pseudaspidoproctus hyphaeniacus

Pseudaspidoproctus hyphaeniacus (Hall) (Fig. 84, distribution map Fig. 92H) Aspidoproctus hyphaeniacus Hall, 1925: 1. Pseudaspidoproctus hyphaeniacus (Hall); Morrison 1927: 104. Field characteristics: Live adult female ovoid, exposed on the host-plant during the growing period; body with dorsum strongly convex, flattened ventrally, with some powdery secretion; eggs deposited within an internal marsupium having a U-shaped or V-shaped opening (Morrison 1928). Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female broadly oval, derm not definitely chitinised. Median part of thoracic dorsum dominated by short and long setae. Antennae each with 8‒10 segments. Thoracic spiracles each large but not conspicuous, with bar but without a group of pores at opening. Abdominal spiracles numbering 7 pairs, each much smaller than a thoracic spiracle, inconspicuous, with a thickened rim. Cicatrices numbering 3 set close together, each usually more-or-less irregular in shape. Anal tube short, with a row of wax pores at inner end, somewhat sclerotized. Multilocular disc-pores each with 1, or 3 or 4, circular central loculi and with 5‒8 outer loculi. Distribution: Pseudaspidoproctus hyphaeniacus is known from 10 countries in the Oriental and Palaearctic regions (García Morales et al. 2016); in Iran, it has been recorded from Sistan & Balouchestan province (Moghaddam 2013). Host-plants: The species has been recorded on host-plants belonging to the families Arecaceae (Hyphaene, Phoenix and Washingtonia), Poaceae (Stipa), Rosaceae (Malus) and Scrophulariaceae (Verbascum) (García Morales et al. 2016). In Iran, it has been found on date palms, Phoenix dactylifera (Arecaceae) (Moghaddam 2013). Economic importance: None recorded in Iran. Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.