Kermes nigropunctatus Ehrhorn and Cockerell

Talla nigripunctata

Hosts: Quercus sp. [observations on Quercus agrifolia, kelloggii, and wislizenii listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. Ehrhorn and Cockerell (Ehrhorn, 1898) de-scribed the post-reproductive female as .. .4.5 mm. long, 5.5 broad, nearly 4 high, not very pale ochreous, speckled all over with black, the specks so small as to be readily over-looked without the use of a lens; segmentation obscure, but discernible, the sutures slightly impressed and marked by more or less pallid trans-verse bands; an obscure median longitudinal depressed line. . .

Remarks. Judging from the species of oaks that this Kermes has been recorded from, one would suspect that it is identical to Allokermes essigi (King).

Etymology. Ehrhorn and Cockerell named this species for the black specks covering its yellow ochreous mid-dorsum.

- Stephen Bullington, Michael Kosztarab: (1985) Studies on the morphology and systematics of scale insects. No. 12^©