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 Arabic/Persian qirmiz (قرمز), which means "red" or "crimson" (probably via Middle Persian, from (ultimately) Sanskrit कृमिज kṛmi-ja meaning "worm-made"[2]).
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
- ↑ Naturenet article with images and description of Kermes vermilio and its foodplant
- ↑ American Heritage Dictionary s.v. Kermes, also Kluge, "Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache", s.v. Karmesin, et al.
External links
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