Female Conchaspididae superficially resemble the Diaspididae in secreting a white, conical scale cover and in possessing some fused posterior abdominal segments (Williams, 1991). However, the adult female's scale cover lacks any incorporated exuviae from earlier stages and the pseudopygidium is formed by fusion of abdominal segment VII and succeeding segments; the antennae are each 2- to 4-segmented; the legs are well developed in almost all species, each leg with the tibia and tarsus fused (except for one species, which lacks legs). None of the Conchaspididae is pupillarial.
In the Diaspididae the pygidium is formed by fusion of abdominal segment IV and succeeding segments; antennae are always reduced to single-segmented stubs, the adult female always lacks legs; and some pupillarial species occur.