Dactylopius coccus

TaxID: 765876

Basic Information

Dactylopius coccus

True Cochineal Bug, cochineal

The cochineal ( KOTCH-in-EEL, -?eel, US also KOH-chin-EEL, -?eel; Dactylopius coccus) is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the natural dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite native to tropical and subtropical South America through North America (Mexico and the Southwest United States), this insect lives on cacti in the genus Opuntia, feeding on plant moisture and nutrients. The insects are found on the pads of prickly pear cacti, collected by brushing them off the plants, and dried. The insect produces carminic acid that deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid, typically 17 C24% of dried insects' weight, can be extracted from the body and eggs, then mixed with aluminium or calcium salts to make carmine dye, also known as cochineal. Today, carmine is primarily used as a colorant in food and in lipstick (E120 or Natural Red 4). Carmine dye was used in the Americas for coloring fabrics and became an important export good in the 16th century during the colonial period. Production of cochineal is depicted in the Codex Osuna (1565). After synthetic pigments and dyes such as alizarin were invented in the late 19th century, use of natural-dye products gradually diminished. Fears over the safety of artificial food additives renewed the popularity of cochineal dyes, and the increased demand has made cultivation of the insect profitable again, with Peru being the largest producer, followed by Mexico, Chile, Argentina and the Canary Islands. Other species in the genus Dactylopius can be used to produce "cochineal extract", and are extremely difficult to distinguish from D. coccus, even for expert taxonomists; the scientific term D. coccus and the vernacular "cochineal insect" are sometimes used, intentionally or casually, and possibly with misleading effect, to refer to other species.

from Wikipedia

Taxonomic Information

Eukaryota

Arthropoda

Insecta

Hemiptera

Dactylopiidae

Dactylopius

coccus

nan

Photos (5 photos)

Dactylopius coccus
c
(c) Karl Kroeker@BY-NC
Dactylopius coccus
c
(c) Karl Kroeker@BY-NC
Dactylopius coccus
c
(c) Felix Riegel@BY-NC
Dactylopius coccus
c
(c) tylototriton@BY
Dactylopius coccus
c
(c) Felix Riegel@BY-NC

Morphological Features

Adult male. Body length 2.0–2.2 mm (mounted); total body length to antennal length ratio 1:0.57. Head rather pointed anteriorly; ventral eyes approximately level with dorsal simple eyes; median crest with 10–15 hs dorsal head setae on each side extending full length; ventral mid-cranial ridge with 3 or 4 setae on each side; genal setae 3 or 4 hs on each side. Antennae 1100–1175 μm long; flagellar segments with short stout fleshy setae and long capitate setae; segment III with 13–27 fs + 10 or 11 hs; segment VIII with 16–19 fs, 0 hs, 4 or 5 caps + 1 antennal bristle. Pronotal sclerite extending laterally, without lateral pronotal setae. Mesothorax: prescutum oval, 175 μm long, 230–260 μm wide; scutal setae about 6 or 7 hs on each side; scutellar setae 2 or 3 hs on each side. Wings hyaline, about 2075 μm long, 875 μm wide (length:width 1:0.42); subequal to total body length, width less than half length. Legs: tibia III 180–190 μm (ratio of tibia III to tarsus III 1:0.59); tarsal digitules subequal to claw length with small capitate apices; claws long and thin, nearly twice width of tarsus, almost straight, without denticle; claw digitules subequal to claw length with small capitate apices. Abdomen: segments I–VII tergites and sternites unsclerotised except narrow sclerotisations on anterior margins of I and II; dorsal setae 3–7 hs on each side; ventropleural setae 1 hs on each side; caudal extension rounded with about 5 or 6 hs pleural setae; each pouch with 2 very short truncated glandular pouch setae 40–75 μm long. Genital segments: penial sheath short, narrowly triangular and blunt; segment IX with anal opening about 50 μm wide, with 4–6 setae medially; aedeagus parallel-sided, 100 μm long, about 25 μm wide at apex; basal rod about 85 μm long.

Source: GBIF Life Stage: Adult Source Type: Taxonomic treatment
Citation:

Plazi taxonomic treatment

Host Plants (0 host plants)

Data sources: EPPO Global Database and relevant literature.

No host plants available.

Quarantine Status (3 records)

Data sources: IPPC website and national quarantine websites; verified by human review.

Country Status Year Added
Chile A2 list 2019
Republic of Korea Quarantine pests —
United States of America Quarantine pests —

Distribution (9 countries)

Data Sources: EPPO Global Database and GBIF.

9
Present
0
Absent
0
Unknown/Other
Country Status State
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Present —
Germany Present —
Ecuador Present —
Spain Present —
India Present —
Mexico Present —
Peru Present —
Portugal Present —
United States of America Present —

Distribution Map (Latitude and longitude coordinates sourced from GBIF.)

Download CSV

Genomes (1 records)

Data source: NCBI.

Assembly Accession Assembly Level Genome Size(Mb) Contig N50(Kb) Scaffold N50(Kb) BUSCO% Downloads Actions
GCA_000833685.1 Contig 18 379 379 -

Transcriptomes (2 records)

Data source: NCBI.

Run ID Tissue Developmental Stage Sex Read Count Location Actions
SRR5462326 Whole insect Adult female 26989233 -
ERR16768490,ERR16768491 - - female 61882475 -

DNA Barcodes (82 records)

View all

Data source: BOLD.

Process ID BIN Marker Length Country Date Lat/Lon Sequence
MUSBA1972-25 - COI-5P 658 Portugal 2024-08-27 32.646774, -16.862051
MUSBA1960-25 - COI-5P 658 Portugal 2024-08-27 32.646774, -16.862051
GBMHH7288-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7287-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7286-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7285-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7284-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7283-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7282-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
GBMHH7281-15 BOLD:ACV6372 COI-5P 556 - - -
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Literature