Ceroplastes rubens Maskell (Moghaddam & Nematian 2021

Ceroplastes rubens Maskell (Fig. 15, Plate 2A, distribution map Fig. 89F) Ceroplastes rubens Maskell, 1893: 214. Field characteristics: Live adult female body convex, up to 3.1 mm long, covered with thick pinkish brown wax not divided into plates; dorsum with short, raised, narrow whiteish ridge leading to each stigmatic cleft. In dorsal view, the waxy test appears sub-rectangular or oval. The pink eggs are laid under the female body, protected by the waxy test. Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted adult female body broadly oval and convex. Stigmatic clefts quite wide and deep. Dorsum. Derm membranous on young females, but with a rather flat, heavily sclerotized caudal process; with 1 cephalic, 1 mediodorsal, and 6 lateral clear areas devoid of pores and setae. Setae short, cylindrical, and with truncate apex. Pores of 2 types: bilocular, and irregularly oval trilocular. Tubular ducts present throughout. Duct tubercles absent. Preopercular pores present in a group of about 9−15 pores. Anal plates each with 3 long flagellate dorsal setae. Anal ring with 8 setae. Margin. Marginal setae slightly longer than dorsal setae, except each anal lobe with 3−5 longer, sharply pointed setae. Stigmatic clefts quite deep, each with about 15–18 stigmatic setae along margin of each stigmatic cleft, each seta bollard-like, plus, more dorsally, 2 significantly larger bollard-like setae and with a much larger, bluntly pointed, spinose seta at apex of each group. Venter. Derm entirely membranous. Pregenital disc-pores each with 10 loculi, restricted to around anogenital fold (segment VII). Spiracular disc-pores each with 5 loculi, present in broad bands between margin and each spiracle, and with a few extending medially past spiracular apodeme towards prothoracic coxa. Cruciform pores present at margins. Tubular ducts absent. Minute setae present; interantennal setae numbering at most 3 pairs; setae on pregenital segments small. Antennae quite short, each with 6 segments. Legs much reduced in size, with trochanter and femur occasionally appearing fused, lacking tibio-tarsal articulatory sclerosis; tibia and tarsus fused; claw digitules dissimilar, 1 slightly thicker and longer than other; tarsal digitules both narrow. Distribution: Ceroplastes rubens is a cosmopolitan species of African origin; in Iran, it is found in Tehran province (Moghaddam & Nematian 2021). Host-plants: The scale highly polyphagous, usually feeding on woody hosts and some Cycadaceae and Pteridaceae; in Iran, it has been recorded on Aglaonema commutatum (Araceae) (Moghaddam & Nematian 2021) and Ficus carica (Moraceae). Economic importance: It is highly likely that this species was introduced to Iran on plants that had not been properly inspected. At present, there are some reports of it causing serious damage to fig trees in Iran. Natural enemies: None recorded from Iran.