Kermes pettiti Ehrhorn, 1899

Talla pettiti

Hosts: Quercus sp. [observations on Quercus alba, borealis [rubra], imbricaria, laurifolia, velutina listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. Ehrhorn (1899b) described the post-reproductive female as: ... about 4 mm. broad, 3 mm. long, and 3 mm. high, dark purplish-brown; some individuals of a lighter colour and marbled with brown. A distinct longitudinal groove on the meson indicated by a dark line. Surface without minute black specks. Segmentation not very distinct, indicated by rows of black spots plainly seen through a pocket lens. Ventral surface, where it touches the bark, flattened and more or less covered with a yellow secretion. Beak very prominent.

Remarks. Judging from the northeastern type locality, and the species of oaks that this Kermes has been reported from, one would suspect that this species is a synonym of Allokermes kingi (Ckll.).

Distr: NY

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