Kermes quercus (Linnaeus)

Moghaddam, Masumeh & Watson, Gillian W., 2024, The Scale Insects Of Iran (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) Part 3 The Soft Scales (Coccidae) And Other Families, Zootaxa 5542 (1), pp. 1-202 : 143

Kermes quercus (Linnaeus)

( Fig. 66 , Plate 4E , distribution map Fig. 91A )

Coccus quercus Linnaeus, 1758: 455 . Chermes reniformis Fourcroy, 1785: 230 . Coccus cambii Ratzeburg, 1844: 194. Physokermes reniformis (Fourcroy) ; Targioni Tozzetti 1869: 41. Kermes reniformis (Fourcroy) ; Signoret 1875: 553. Kermes quercus (Linnaeus) ; Cockerell 1894: 178.

Field characters: Young adult female yellowish brown; pre-reproductive adult female spherical, dark brown to black, without visible body segmentation but dorsum divided by 1 longitudinal and 6–8 deep, wide transverse black furrows. Post-reproductive female kidney-shaped, with shallow longitudinal medial depression posteriorly; cuticle becoming heavily sclerotized with maturity ( Podsiadło 2014).

Microscopic diagnosis: Slide-mounted young pre-reproductive adult female pear-shaped, with fused segments. Dorsal and ventral setae stout and spine-like, present throughout. Antennae each with 2 or 3 segments, with 3 or 4 spine-like setae apically. Labium subtriangular, with three segments, apical segment with 4 pairs of setae. Legs reduced, pointed distally, each composed of three segments: coxa, trochanter + femur, tibia + tarsus and claw. Spiracles well developed and sclerotized, each with associated multilocular disc pores, posterior spiracle diameter larger than that of anterior spiracle. Anal ring situated near posterior end, with a complete margin with 2 short setae posteriorly but without pores.

Dorsum with tubular ducts of various sizes, scattered, most numerous anteriorly, sparse posteriorly; bilocular pores numerous, scattered.

Venter with tubular ducts of 1 type densely grouped in a horseshoe-shaped submarginal to marginal band on prosoma, less frequent on submarginal areas of abdomen. Disc-pores (each with 3‒8 loculi) present in groups, each group surrounding a spinelike seta; present around margins and forming segmental rows across median areas of abdomen. Multilocular pores, each with 12 loculi, in clusters across medial areas of abdominal segments and forming 6 or 8 longitudinal lines abdomen.

Distribution: Kermes quercus is known from 24 countries in the Palaearctic region ( García Morales et al. 2016); in Iran, it has been recorded from Ilam and Kermanshah provinces ( Moghaddam 2013).

Host-plants: The species is oligophagous, having been only found on Quercus spp. ( Fagaceae ) ( García Morales et al. 2016).

Economic importance: Kermes quercus is of no economic importance in Iran.

Natural enemies: None recorded in Iran.

Figures

PLATE 4. Eriococcidae: A, Anophococcus abaii (Danzig); B, Rhizococcus asperulae Moghaddam; C, Rhizococcus avicennae Moghaddam; D, Rhizococcus borchsenii (Danzig); Kermesidae: E, Kermes quercus (Linnaeus); F, Kermes spatulatus Balachowsky; G, Nidularia balachowskii Bodenheimer. Monophlebidae: H, Gueriniella serratulae (Fabricius).

FIGURE 66. Adult female of Kermes quercus (Linnaeus), modified from Podsiadło (2014), page 265, fig. 3, published in Polish Journal of Entomology. A, antenna; B, base of hind leg; C, anterior thoracic spiracle; D, Disc-pores each with 4‒12 loculi; E, anal ring, situated on venter; F, macroducts, varying in size, some with inner ends wrench shaped in longitudinal section.

FIGURE 91. Distribution maps of scale insect species in Iran covered in this work. A, Kermes quercus (Linnaeus); B, Kermes spatulatus Balachowsky; C, Neoacanthococcus pamiricus (Bazarov); D, Neoacanthococcus tamaricicola Borchsenius; E, Nidularia balachowskii Bodenheimer; F, Orthezia urticae (Linnaeus); G, Ortheziola marottai Kaydan & Szita; H, Palaeolecanium bituberculatum (Signoret); I, Palmaspis phoenicis (Ramachandra Rao); J, Parthenolecanium corni (Bouché); K, Parthenolecanium persicae (Fabricius); L, Phoenicococcus marlatti Cockerell.