Kermes (insect)

Kermes
Kermes echinatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Sternorrhyncha
Superfamily: Coccoidea
Family: Kermesidae
Genus: Kermes
Latreille, 1798
Species

See text

Kermes is a genus of scale insects in the order Hemiptera. They feed on the sap of evergreen oaks; the females produce a red dye, also called "kermes", that is the source of natural crimson.[1] The word "kermes" is derived from Persian qirmiz (قرمز), which means "red" or "crimson."

There are six species:

  • Kermes bacciformis Leonardi, 1908
  • Kermes corticalis (Nassonov, 1908)
  • Kermes gibbosus Signoret, 1875
  • Kermes ilicis (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Kermes roboris (Fourcroy, 1785)
  • Kermes vermilio Planchon, 1864

References

  1. ↑ Naturenet article with images and description of Kermes vermilio and its foodplant


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