Olliffiella cristicola

Allokermes branigani

Allokermes essigi

Allokermes galliformis

Allokermes gillettei

Allokermes grandis

Allokermes kingii

Allokermes kosztarabi

Allokermes nivalis

Allokermes cueroensis

Allokermes dubius

Allokermes rattani

Kermes nudus

Kermes prinus

Kermes rimarum

Kermes shastensis

Kermes sylvestris

Nanokermes folium

Nanokermes iselini

Nanokermes pubescens

Kermes boguei

Kermes cockerelli

Kermes concinnulus

Kermes nigropunctatus

Kermes perryi

Kermes pettiti

Kermes sassceri

Kermes trinotatus

Olliffiella cristicola 

Hosts: Quercus emoryi, seldom Q hypoleucoides [observation on Q undulata listed as "questionable"]

The galls, located on the undersurface of the leaf, are 10-12 mm long, 6-8 mm wide at base, compressed laterally to 5-9 mm, and taper into a sharp point. The gall opening is an elongate slit parallel to the midrib on the upper surface of the leaf. Two to four galls may be on a single leaf; occasionally two galls are fused. Dry galls are hard and woody. The female fills the lower or pointed end of the cavity of the gall and lies with its dorsum toward the opening. The overall shape of the female is conical, conforming to the shape of the cavity with a heavily sclerotized, flat, circular dorsum and a membranous or slightly sclerotized venter. It remains questionable how the first instars escape from under the female and through the opening of the gall. 

Remarks. This species is found on Quercus "wrightii," and Q. emoryi in New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico. It is the only North American Kermesidae to form a gall. 

Allokermes branigani (King)

Kermes branigani
Kermes nigropunctatus

Host--Quercus chrysolepis, wislizenii [observation on Quercus grisea listed as "questionable"]
 
King described the post-reproductive female as: Globular in shape, 5 mm. long, 6 mm. wide, 5 mm. high. The color is light cream, nearly white, often with bluish cast, with four broad transverse bands of very light yellowish brown. Segmentation distinct; the sutures slightly depressed and marked by small round black dots. Surface shiny and thickly covered with minute black specks. . . . There is a short, very distinct groove posteriorly reaching to the anus. 

Distr: CA

Allokermes essigi (King, 1913)

Kermes essigi King 1913
Kermes nigropunctatus; Essig 1926: 276. misidentification
Talla nigropunctata; Lindinger 1943a: 148. incorrect synonymy 

Hosts: Quercus agrifolia, kelloggii, wislizenii, sp. [observation on Q palustris listed as questionable]

Post-reproductive female. King (1913a) described the post-reproductive female as Light brown. 6 mm long, 6 mm broad and 5 mm high; surface shiny. Under normal conditions practically globular, of two distinct forms, one with a deep broad longitudinal constriction, with sides bulging, and four transverse bands of a light cream color. The constriction is not pallid, but of the same color as that of the scale, light brown. The entire surface is peppered with minute black specks ... there are also several large black dots. .   .   . The other form is of the same color and markings, but distinctly gibbous.

Distr: CA

Allokermes galliformis 

Kermes galliformis
Kermes waldeni New synonym.
Coccus galliformis
Talla galliformis
Talla waldeni
Kermes emoryi New synonym.

Hosts: Quercus arizonica, borealis [rubra], douglasi, durata, emoryi, falcata, gravesii, havardii, laevis, laurifolia, lobata, macrocarpa, marilandica, nigra, oblongifolia, palustris, phellos, shumardii var texana [Quercus texana], stellata, velutina, virginiana, sp., [Observations on Q alba, garryana, ilicifolia, kelloggii listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. female as Riley (1881) described the post-reproductive ... average length 5 mm. Subspherical, usually somewhat broader than long, and often with a broad shallow constriction medio-dorsally. Attached by a broad, dark-brown cut or excavation, which is covered by a beak anteriorly and notched anally, the brown color extending to a point above the notch. Polished and smooth. Ground color pale yellowish, appearing under lens minutely and evenly speckled with brown; more or less suffused or mottled with gray or brown, the constriction, when present, generally dark. A series of about seven irregular rows of black punctations running across the scale, often connected by an irregular black line, and this again relieved by white or pale yellow. The three uppermost rows most distinct and constant.

Remarks. This species, recorded from California to Virginia, has been verified as being found on at least 20 species of oaks. It is probably found throughout the southern temperate zone in North America.

It is possible that A. galliformis contains a complex of several undescribed species or subspecies. A thorough study of the adult males undoubtedly will clarify this question. 

Allokermes gillettei (Cockerell, 1895) 

Kermes gillettei Cockerell 1895f: 100.
Coccus gillettei
Talla gillettei

Hosts: Quercus emoryi,  hypoleucoides, [observation of Quercus undulata listed as "questionable"]

Post .. reproductive female. Cockerell (1895b) described the post-repro-ductive female as ... 8 mm. long, 7 1/2 broad, 7 high. Distinctly segmented; dorsum with rounded tuberosities, not very shiny. Scale covered with minute dark brown specks. General colour ivory-white and dark brown mottled, the extent of the white or the brown variable, but usually a distinct white dorsal band, and more or less broken-up subdorsal ones. 

Dist: AZ, CO

Allokermes grandis

Kermes grandis
Lecanium tubuliferum
Talla grandis

Host: Quercus engelmanii

Post-reproductive female. Cockerell (1898d) described the post-reproductive female as: Globular, 10 millim. diam., not visibly segmented, surface dull; peppered or marbled with black, grey, and white. With a lens the white areas are seen to be thickly sprinkled with minute brown spots. The black and brown marbling is quite irregular.

Distr: Mexico

Allokermes kingii (Cockerell)

Kermes kingi Cockerell, 1898 ca. 

Talla kingi Lindinger, 1933. 

Hosts: Quercus borealis [rubra], velutina, coccinea, ilicifolia, imbricaria, laurifolia, phellos, sp.

Post-reproductive female. Cockerell (1898c) described the postreproductive female as: Very convex, but the sides hardly bulging; length 5, breadth 4 1/3, height about 3 1/2 millim. Colour light ochreous, of quite a bright tint, marbled with a slightly darker redder tint; the marbling is absent in the mid-dorsal line, leaving a more or less distinct longitudinal pallid band; segmentation vaguely indicated by transverse rows of small black spots; entire surface very closely beset with minute dark dots. The scale is evenly rounded dorsally, without any prominences or depressions. 

Remarks. This species has been recorded from eight species of oaks, but principally from Quercus borealis [rubra] and Q. velutina. All records are from the northeastern United States, the mountains of Virginia, or Alabama and Florida. The southern records on Q. phellos and Q. laurifolia may represent another undescribed species, but appear to be indistinguishable from A. kingi morphologically

Distribution: All records are from the northeastern United States, the mountains of Virginia, or Alabama and Florida.

Allokermes kosztarabi (Baer)

Kermes kosztarabi

Post-reproductive female. This stage was never described, because we could not separate this species through the adult females from A. galliformis (Riley). The original description of the species was based on first instar nymphs. 

Allokermes nivalis (King & Cockerell in Cockerell)

Kermes nivalis King & Cockerell in Cockerell 1898t: 330.
Coccus nivalis 
Talla nivalis

Hosts: Quercus borealis [rubra] [observation on Quercus alba listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. King and Cockerell (1898c) described the post-reproductive female as Length 4 1/2, breadth 4 1/2, height about 3 millim. Dark sepia-brown, irregularly marbled with blackish and pale ochreous, the latter colour inclined to be arranged in transverse bands, and beset with nu-merous minute dark dots. All of the scale except the middle of the back is powdered with snow-white secretion, which becomes very abundant at the sides. Microscopical characters ordinary; skin fairly closely beset with small round glands, and showing some larger glands at irregular intervals, on brown patches.

Remarks. This species is found on Quercus borealis [rubra] and Q. alba in Massachusetts. A post-reproductive female paratype, collected on Q. alba (as was the holotype) was available for study. It is covered with a white mealy wax, which, in the authors' opinion, could have been secreted only by the multilocular disc pores present on the dorsum of the slide-mounted Q. borealis [rubra] specimens. For this reason the two lots from the two hosts are considered as belonging to the same species.


Allokermes cueroensis (Cockerell) 

Kermes galliformis var. cueroensis
Kermes cueroensis

Hosts: Quercus virginiana [see remarks re: Q alba]

Post-reproductive female. King (1900b) described the post-reproductive female as: Large, transverse diameter 8 mm, convex, with no median constriction; brownish-white, obscurely marbled with very pale gray, with linear transverse brown bands, somewhat wavy, and thickened at intervals; surface minutely speckled with brown dots

Remarks. Except for one questionable record, this species, which is probably found all along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts from Texas to New Jersey, seems to be restricted to Quercus virginiana. The questionable record, from Michigan on Q. alba, is probably another undescribed species, but apparently cannot be distinguished from A. cueroensis on the basis of slide-mounted adult females.

Allokermes dubius, new species

Hosts: Quercus falcata

Post-reproductive female. Unknown. 

Remarks. This species is known only from a single lot, but is probably widely distributed where its host, Quercus falcata, is found

Distr: MS

Allokermes rattani

Kermes rattani
Talla rattani

Host--Chrysolepis chrysophylla, sempervirens; Quercus douglasii

Post-reproductive female. Ehrhorn (1906) described the post-reproductive female as .. globose, from 5 to 6  mm. in diameter, varying a little according to position on twig. Surface smooth, not shiny, nor hardly pubescent, sometimes waxy. Colour light brown, generally with four white stripes running parallel with segmentation. When seen through lens these stripes have numerous brown dots at intervals.

Remarks. This species, found on Chrysolepis species and Quercus douglasii in California, is the only Allokermes recorded from Chrysolepis species. The specimens from C. sempervirens, with a narrow lateral row of quinquelocular disc pores that the specimens on C. chrysophylla do not have, probably deserve subspecific status.

Habitat: CA

Kermes mirabilis King

Kermes rattani (misidentification?)
Talla mirabilis

Host: Quercus sp.

Post-reproductive female. female as King (1914c) described the post-reproductive Subglobular, color gray, surface dull, not 'Shiny. Diameter 7 mm. Markings consist of five transverse black bands, composed of quite large round dots and fine lines. Between the lines and dots the surface is pebbled and marbled with black dots and specks. There are also some very faint reddish brown patches.

Distr: CA

Kermes occidentalis King

Talla occidentalis
Kermes rattani (misidentification?)

Host: Quercus sp.

Post-reproductive female. King (1913b) described the post-reproductive female as Globular in outline; 5 mm. in diameter; of a dull gray color. Seg-mentation indicated by five transverse narrow blackish bands, which are broken at intervals by somewhat larger round black dots. Surface between the bands of a marbled light gray-brown. The entire surface is dull, not shiny, and is covered with very minute black specks seen only under a hand lens.

Distr: CA

Kermes nudus, new species

Post-reproductive female. Unknown

Hosts: Chrysolepis chrysophylla, sempervirens

Distr: CA

Kermes prinus

Remarks. This species has been described by utilizing the distinct morphology of the first instars. It was assigned to the K. concinnulus Cockerell group, where K. cockerelli Ehrhorn, K. rimarum Ferris and K. shastensis Ehrhorn belong. The description was based on specimens collected from Quercus prinus L., chestnut oak, found in Pipestem State Park, West Virginia. For more records on this species, see Baer and Kosztarab (1985).

Kermes rimarum Ferris

Hosts: Quercus gambelii, douglasii, durata, garryana, lobata

Post-reproductive female. Ferris (1955b) described this species from slide-mounted specimens. His scant characterization of the post-reproductive female is as A small, dark species, its diameter not exceeding 2-5 mm. in any plane, variously shaped in conformity with the irregularities of its surroundings. Dark brown and displaying a small amount of secretion. 

Remarks. Th is species has been recorded on five species of oaks in the western United States. Some of these records associated with first instars that have been identified by Dr. R. G. Baer as K. cockerelli Ehrhorn, do not differ from the two type specimens of K. rimarum. 


Kermes shastensis Ehrhorn

Talla shastensis
Kermes branigani (misidentification)

Hosts: Chrysolepis sp., Quercus chrysolepis, turbinella [observation on Q vaccinifolia listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. Ehrhorn (1911) described the post-reproductive female as .   .   . enveloped in a thick white, brittle, waxy secretion, making the scale very striking and easily detected on the twigs of the trees. Scales round about 5 mm. in diameter. After removing waxy secretion, colour of scale is mahogany brown, very shiny, with usually three distinct dark brown lines across the dorsum.

The post-reproductive adult female is noted for its covering of white wax, which in younger specimens is fluffy and cottony, and in older specimens, hard and brittle.

Distr: CA

Kermes sylvestris (COCKERELL AND KING)

Sphaerococcus sylvestris
Kermes andrei
Talia andrei

Hosts: Quercus alba, ilicifolia, stellata [observations on Quercus borealis [rubra], macrocarpa, muehlenbergii, palustris, prinus [montana] listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. King (1900a) described the post-reproductive female as ... pyriform in shape, very convex, 5 mm. high and 5 mm. in diameter at its base, variable in some individuals which are nearly hemispherical. Surface shiny. Colour, light brown, with three and sometimes four, very dark brown bands, these variable in length and breadth. There are also several suffused dark brown blotchy spots and round dots, more numerous around the posterior cleft. Segmentation obsure; a median posterior keel-like prominence, which is very much wrinkled above near the region of the posterior cleft.

Remarks. This species has been recorded from Massachusetts to Texas and has been verified as being found on 4 species of oaks. It appears to be most common on Quercus alba.

K. sylvestris is a species that completes its development rapidly: post-reproductive females can be collected in late May. It is a rare species. 

It is therefore possible that K. sylvestris contains a complex of one or more undescribed species or subspecies. The adults from Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas may belong to an undescribed species. 

Nanokermes folium

Kermes pubescens (misidentification)

Hosts: Quercus alba, borealis [rubra]

Post-reproductive female. Description from following lot: VA, Fairfax, Jun. 5, 1975, coll. B. Zirilli. Spheroid, ca. 3 mm long, 2 high, 2 1/2 broad; basal fourth covered with short, clear strands of wax. Color yellowish brown, with 3 to 5 transverse, suffused bands of brown intersecting with 2 longitudinal stripes of darker brown. If wax is rubbed off, surface of dorsum is shiny, somewhat translucent, and covered with minute dark brown specks. 

Remarks. This species, found on Quercus alba from Massachusetts to the mountains of Tennessee, has been recorded once from Q. borealis.

It has been confused with N. pubescens (Bogue), and much of the literature referring to N. pubescens may actually refer to it

Etymology. This species is named for its habit of positioning itself on leaf mid-ribs and petioles. 


Nanokermes iselini

Kermes iselini 

Hosts: Quercus mohriana, arizonica

Post-reproductive female (description from paratype female). Spheroidal, ca. 3 mm long, 2 high, 2 1/2 broad, completely covered with short, clear strands of wax. Color uniform dark yellowish brown. 94 
If wax is rubbed off, surface of dorsum is shiny, somewhat translucent, and covered with minute dark brown specks. 

Remarks. This species is found on Quercus arizonica and Q. mohriana in Arizona and New Mexico.

NANOKERMES PUBESCENS (BOGUE) 

Kermes pubescens
Coccus pubescens
Talla pubescens

Hosts: Quercus alba, stellata, marilandica, Xdeamii (Q macrocarpa X muehlenbergii), macrocarpa [observations on Quercus bicolor X macrocarpa, lyrata, borealis [rubra], muehlenbergii, prinoides, prinus [montana] listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. Bogue (1898) described the post-reproductive female as ... spheroidal, 3 1/2 mm. in diameter, 3 high; pointed and grooved beneath; covered all over with short straggling whitish pubescence. Color rather light brown, with more or less obscure and suffused dark brown bands marking the obsolete segments. Surface shining, with minute concolorous specks, but no dark spots or pits. 

Remarks. This species has been recorded from 5 species of oaks in the midwestern United States. If the number of citations in the literature is an indication of abundance, then it is very common. Most of the references, however, probably refer to N. folium, new species.

The post-reproductive female is noted for its dorsum, which is covered with short strands of wax that en masse resemble pubescence. This "pubescence" is so remarkably similar in color and texture to the pubescence on the buds of Quercus macrocarpa, and the scale so similar in size to these buds, that the first author has had problems distinguishing scales from buds even when using a dissecting microscope.

KERMES BOGUEI COCKERELL

Coccus boguei
Talia boguei

Host: Quercus alba

Post-reproductive female. Cockerell (1897b) described the post-reproductive female as: Globose, slightly oval; length about 6  1/2, breadth 5 3/4, height 5 mm., varying a little in these proportions. Surface without gibosities, not very shiny; with a lens one sees that it presents innumerable dull rugosities with intervening shiny lines. The general color is dark; there are five suffused, more or less broken bands of dull scarlet; the areas between these are whitish, but largely occupied by broken black lines or stripes. There are also transverse blotchy bands of black, much interrupted. The general effect produced is an irregular blotching of scarlet, black, and dull white; the black may predominate and make a dark scale in which the scarlet and white are not so readily noticed.

Distr: OK

Kermes cockerelli Ehrhorn

Coccus cokerelli
Talla cockerelli

Hosts: Quercus lobata. [observations on Q chrysolepis, kelloggii listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. Ehrhorn (1898) described the post-reproductive female as ... 5 mm. long, 4.5 mm. broad and 4 mm. high, deeply segmented, dorsum usually marked with black lines and spots along the sutures, some species not showing any. There is a broad, median, longitudinal groove, where the segmentation is obsolete; on each side of this the segments are strongly gibbous. Color light brown, without any conspicuous black specks ....

Distr: CA

Kermes concinnulus Cockerell

Coccus concinnulus
Talla concinnula

Hosts: Quercus macrocarpa

Post-reproductive female. reproductive female as: Cockerell (Bogue, 1898) described the post-... 4 mm. long, 4 1/2 broad, 3 1/2 high; very convex, rounded in front, more or less flattened behind; flattened beneath, except a median anterior keel-like prominence. Color lively ochreous. Surface shining, not speckled with black; segmentation very distinct, the sutures marked by bands and spots of dark brown and black, on the hind part by nu-merous pits. A median longitudinal groove, where the segmentation is obsolete, also partly marked out in black. Sutures not deep, nor are the segments strongly gibbous on each side of the median groove.

Remarks. Judging from the type host and the description of the post-reproductive female, one would suspect that this species is identical to K. sylvestris (Ckll. and King).

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.

Kermes perryi King

Talla perryi

Hosts: Quercus ilicifolia

Post-reproductive female. King (1900b) described the post-reproductive female as: .very globular, small, 3 mm. in diameter. Superficially [sic] examined, its color appears to be dark gray, dull, not shining, very near the color of the bark upon the twig. Viewed with a hand lens the segmentation is nearly obsolete and indicated by fine black lines, upon a dark yellowish brown surface. Parallel with the segments are several depressed dots, which are darker than the surface. The entire surface of the scale is covered more or less with a dirty white wax; under a low power of the microscope this appears to be small white granular crystals. 

Distr: MA

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

Kermes sassceri King

Talla sassceri

Hosts: Quercus "rubra" [observations on Quercus borealis [rubra] listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. King (1914a) described the post-reproductive female as: .turning nearly white when the hard shell is formed. After the scale has been collected and placed in a vial or box the color turns to a very light tint of lemon yellow. The form is not perfectly globular, but rather somewhat transverse and with a more or less pronounced and rather broad medio-dorsal depression which gives it a bilobed appearance. In many specimens this depression forms a rather broad, black or dark brown band following frequently its entire length and generally crossed by narrow blackish or brownish transverse lines of various lengths. Between these lines are several black specks as large as a pin head. The entire surface of the scale is covered with minute black specks.

Distr: MA

Kermes trinotatus Bogue

Talla trinotata

Hosts: Quercus nigra [observations on Q alba listed as "questionable"]

Post-reproductive female. Bogue (1900) described the post-reproductive female as .. variable in size, averaging about 5 1/2 mm. long, 6  mm. wide, and 4 1/2 mm. high; rounded above, somewhat flattened behind, convex beneath, front turned down into a more or less beak-like prominence; median groove obscure or broad and shallow; color varies from bright argillaceous to dull gray; surface uniform, more or less conspicuously speckled with black; segmentation obscure or plainly marked with dark spots. When the median groove is present it is crossed with more or less dark lines showing segmentation. There is a rounded dark spot on each side of the front, and an elongated dark blotch extending for a short distance above and below the anal opening: hence the specific appellation. 

Etymology. Bogue named this species for the three dark blotches on its dorsum: two on the front and one surrounding the anal ring. 

Distr: OK

Studies on the morphology and systematics of scale insects. No. 12