P. J. Gullan

Does host-plant diversity explain species richness in insects? A test using Coccidae (Hemiptera)

1. The megadiverse herbivores and their host plants are a major component of biodiversity, and their interactions have been hypothesised to drive the diversification of both.

Are cochineal insects eriococcids

ARE COCHINEAL INSECTS ERIOCOCCIDS? Scale insects of the genus Dactylopius Costa, which all feed on cacti, are commonly called cochineal insects. Currently there are nine described species placed in their own family, the Dactylopiidae, based on a few unique morphological features. Here we review available biological, morphological and karyotype information on Dactylopius and report on cladistic analyses of morphological data (from first-instar nymphs plus adult females, and adult males separately) and molecular data (from the nuclear gene 18S rDNA and the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase II) from Dactylopius and its potential relatives. We suggest that Dactylopius belongs with the eriococcids and we discuss the nomenclatural implications of this placement. Key words: dye, Eriococcidae, Apiomorpha, Stictococcus, phylogeny, Aclerdidae, Asterolecaniidae, Coccidae, Diaspididae, Eriococcidae, Kermesidae, Kerriidae, Lecanodiaspididae, Phenacoleachiidae, Pseudococcidae, Putoidae, Ortheziidae, Eriococcus, karyology, chromosomes, life history, pigment chemistry.

ARE THE ENLARGED DUCTS OF ERIOCOCCUS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) PLESIOMORPHIC?

ARE THE ENLARGED DUCTS OF ERIOCOCCUS (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: ERIOCOCCIDAE) PLESIOMORPHIC? Borchsenius (1948) separated the genus Eriococcus Targioni-Tozzetti (Eriococcidae) from Acanthococcus Signoret and Gossyparia Signoret on the basis of the occurrence of enlarged ducts in the adult female of the type-species, E. buxi (Fonscolombe). Enlarged ducts are found also in another Palaearctic species, a Chilean eriococcid and several Australian species of Eriococcus. The enlarged ducts of Eriococcus are similar in appearance and distribution to the large oral rim ducts of Ferrisia Fullaway (Pseudococcidae) and the dorsal tubercle ducts of Ceronema Maskell and some species of Pulvinaria Targioni-Tozzetti (Coccidae). It is argued that the enlarged ducts in taxa from each of these three families are homologous and therefore may be plesiomorphic for the Eriococcidae. If so, the possession of enlarged ducts is not of itself sufficient to justify the separation of Eriococcus as defined by Borchsenius. Key words: macrotubular ducts, microtubular ducts, Aclerdidae, Cerococcidae, Coccidae, Kermesidae, Lecanodiaspididae, Putoidae, Acanthococcus aceris, Ceronema banksii, C. dryandrae, Eriococcus buxi, E. eucalypti, E. williamsi, Exallococcus laureliae, Ferrisia virgata, Greenisca, Kaweckia, Lagosinia strachani, Pulvinaria dodonaeae, Rhizococcus, phylogeny, morphology, wax.