Diagnosis (adopted and slightly modified from Williams 2004). Body of adult female elongate to broadly oval. Anal lobes usually developed, either membranous or sclerotised, each lobe bearing a normal apical seta. Ventral margins of abdominal segments anterior to anal lobes always membranous. Antennae each with 6–8 segments. Legs well developed; translucent pores present or absent; tarsal digitules usually knobbed. Claw without a denticle. Cerarii numbering 6–17 pairs. Auxiliary setae present, at least in anal lobe cerarii. Anal lobe cerarii each bearing either 2 cerarian setae or as many as 8, these usually conical; sometimes conical setae replaced by flagellate setae but cerarii always recognisable by concentrations of trilocular pores. Anal ring normally situated at apex of abdomen, usually bearing 6 setae. Anterior and posterior ostioles present. Dorsal setae variously shaped. Ventral setae flagellate. Trilocular pores present on both dorsal and ventral surface. Multilocular pores usually present, at least on venter. Quinquelocular pores always absent. Oral collar tubular ducts usually present. Oral rim tubular ducts always absent. Discoidal pores present, sometimes large, occasionally present next to each eye.

Remarks. The molecular phylogenetic study on mealybugs conducted by Downie & Gullan (2004) showed that the genus Dysmicoccus is probably not a simple monophletic group but forms a large single clade with several other genera, such as Pseudococcus Westwood, 1840 and Trionymus Berg, 1899, so the current definition of the genus is probably arbitrary (see below). Further molecular and morphological studies on this genus are greatly needed.