Valid Names Results

Ericerus farsicus Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019 (Coccidae: Ericerus)

Nomenclatural History

• Ericerus farsicus Moghaddam & Faghih 2019: 562. Type data: IRAN: Fars Province, 12 km W Estahban, 27.iii.2018/ N29˚09′58.3″/ E53˚55′48.5″; on Finci carica, by H. Faghih.. Holotype, female, by original designation Type depository: Tehran: Hayk Mirzayans Insects Museum, Tehran, Iran; accepted valid name Notes: Paratypes female: IRAN, one adult female mounted on same slide as holotype; 10 adult females mounted singly on slides; 16 adult females mounted with 2 on each of 8 slides, each slide with same data on left label as holotype slide: 2 paratypes on 2 slides (BMNH); 2 paratypes on 2 slides (MNHN); and 6 paratypes on 6 slides (HMIM). Illustr.

Common Names

Ecological Associates

Hosts:

Families: 2 | Genera: 2

Geographic Distribution

Keys

Remarks

• Systematics: The new species is closest to Ericerus pela (Chavannes), in possessing: (i) 4-6 stigmatic spines in each stigmatic cleft; (ii) dorsal tubular ducts present except in the area covered by the preopercular pores; and (iii) ventral microducts abundant between the antennae and in a narrow band just mesad to the submarginal band of tubular ducts. However, it differs from E. pela as follows (character-states of E. pela in brackets): (i) larval stages not buried deep in white waxen threads (buried); (ii) long flagellate setae present on anterior and posterior margins (marginal setae all same size, conical not flagellate); (iii) ventral tubular ducts of 1 type (2 types); (iv) dorsal tubular ducts with an inner ductule (inner ductule apparently lacking); (v) antennae 7 or 8 segmented (6 segmented); (vi) claw digitules non-capitate (capitate), and (vii) sclerotized crescent covers around anal plates (no sclerotized crescent). In addition, E. farsicus is similar to Eulecanium tiliae (Linnaeus), in possessing: (i) long flagellate setae present on anterior and posterior margins; (ii) a sclerotized crescent present around anal plates; and (iii) ventral microducts abundant between antennae and in a narrow band just mesad to the submarginal tubular duct band. However, it differs from E. tiliae as follows (character-states of E. tiliae in brackets): (i) 4–6 stigmatic spines in each stigmatic cleft (2 or 3); (ii) antennae each with 7 or 8 segments (5 or 6); (iii) preopercular pores present on dorsum (absent); (iv) ventral tubular ducts of 1 type (2 types); (v) 1 pair of long pregenital setae with 1 pair long setae and 4–5 pairs of short setae (3 pairs large setae only); (vi) spiracles large (normal size), and (vii) tarsus and claw digitules short, slender and pointed (extending beyond claw and with small apical dilations). (Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019)
• Structure: Young adults pale brown with dark blotches. Mature females highly convex, body as tall as long, length about 8 mm or slightly more; pale brown with rather irregular concave brown spots. Second instars dark brown, oval. Slide-mounted young adult female body circular, with a slight indentation at each spiracular cleft; body length 2.62 (1.86–3.04) mm, width 2.60 (1.47–3.04) mm. Anal cleft short, with sides divergent. (Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019)
• Biology: Found feeding on twigs. (Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019) Ericerus farsicus appears to be univoltine, with one generation during the summer, and presumably overwinters as second-instar nymphs on young stems; the number of developmental instars is not known. The adult female appears in early March in Iran. The species has been recorded as a pest in the main fig cultivating area in Estahban, Fars province, Iran. (Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019)
• Economic Importance: In recent years, a severe and prolonged drought has persisted in the Estahban area, forcing the fig farmers to abandon traditional rain-fed cultivation and irrigate their fig orchards manually. This climatic change has resulted in increased severity of fig-tree infestation by E. farsicus. (Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019)
• General Remarks: Detailed description, illustration and photographs in Moghaddam & Faghih, 2019.

Illustrations

Citations