| Micrococcidae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Sternorrhyncha |
| Infraorder: | Coccomorpha |
| Superfamily: | Coccoidea |
| Family: | Micrococcidae Silvestri, 1939 |
| Genera | |
See text | |
Micrococcidae is a family ofscale insects commonly known as theMediterranean scales. There are twogenera and eightspecies.[1] Members of this family are found in Cyprus, Italy[2] and otherMediterranean countries including Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Turkey.[3]
Members of this family feed onmonocotyledonoushosts as do members of theAclerdidae which is believed to be a sister clade. The Asterolecanoid taxa form a well-defined group of families which also includes theAsterolecaniidae,Cerococcidae,Lecanodiaspididae andPollinia pollini. The placement of the latter is problematic as it seems to be the sister group to the rest of the Asterolecanoid taxa.[3]
Adult females are broadly oval with six legs and a pair of antennae. They can be distinguished from members of other scale families by the fact that thevulvae are found on abdominal segment VI rather than on segment VIII. There are usually four female and five maleinstars.[3]
