Dactylopius
Genus of insects / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Dactylopius is a genus of insect in the superfamily Coccoidea, the scale insects. It is the only genus in the family Dactylopiidae.[1] These insects are known commonly as cochineals,[2][3] a name that also specifically refers to the best-known species, the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus). The cochineal is an insect of economic and historical importance as a main source of the red dye carmine. It has reportedly been used for this purpose in the Americas since the 10th century.[2] Genus Dactylopius is also important because several species have been used as agents of biological pest control, and because several are known as invasive species.[1]
Dactylopius | |
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Dactylopius coccus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hemiptera |
Suborder: | Sternorrhyncha |
Infraorder: | Coccomorpha |
Superfamily: | Coccoidea |
Family: | Dactylopiidae Signoret, 1875 |
Genus: | Dactylopius Costa, 1835[1] |
Species | |
See text |