Kermes (insect)

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 Arabic qirmiz (قرمز), "crimson" (both the colour and the dyestuff).[2]

Kermes
Kermes echinatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Suborder:
Superfamily:
Family:
Genus:
Kermes

Latreille, 1798
Species

See text


There are some 20 species,[3] including:

  • Kermes bacciformis Leonardi, 1908
  • Kermes corticalis (Nassonov, 1908)
  • Kermes echinatus (Balachowsky, 1953)
  • Kermes gibbosus Signoret, 1875
  • Kermes ilicis (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Kermes roboris (Fourcroy, 1785)
  • Kermes vermilio Planchon, 1864

References


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.