Berlese, 1896
Appearance in life
Scale cover of adult female circular to oval, with central or subcentral exuviae. Scale cover of immature male similar to female but smaller, oval with exuviae towards one end.
Morphology
Adult female not pupillarial; body circular or pyriform, cephalothorax membranous or somewhat sclerotized; parts of pygidium sclerotized. Pygidium with lobes that, in some species (originally placed in Quadraspidiotus), appear to converge slightly, while in other species (originally assigned to Diaspidiotus) the lobes are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body. Median lobes prominent; second lobes much smaller, may be reduced to sclerotized points; third lobes reduced to points or absent. Marginal paraphyses variously developed, shorter than median lobes. Dorsal marginal setae tapered, sometimes thickened basally, never lanceolate; seta at outer basal corner of each lobe sometimes longer than the lobe. Plates usually small and more or less fringed, but occasionally large and fimbriate; 2 present between median lobes, 2 between median and second lobes, 3 between second and third lobes, and usually present lateral to each third lobe, sometimes as far forward as fifth abdominal segment; plates beyond third lobe usually less elaborately fringed or reduced to filaments or absent. Anus oval, shorter than a median lobe, located in posterior quarter of pygidium but removed from its apex by more than 3 times (often 4 or 5 times) its diameter; vulva situated at, or just anterior to, centre of pygidium. Dorsal macroducts slender, of moderate length; often 1 marginal duct between median lobes, 1 or 2 between median and second lobes, 2 between second lobe and position of third lobe, and 2 beyond this position on either side; submarginal ducts arranged in intersegmental rows between segments VIII and VI, VII and VI, VI and V, and sometimes V and IV, on each side. Preygidium without plates or duct tubercles, and seldom with macroducts. Perivulvar pores present in 4 or 5 groups, or absent. Stigmatic disc pores absent; antennae quite widely spaced, each bearing 1 seta and a more or less developed, sclerotized spur.