Physokermes are a genus of scale insects known as the bud scales. They are restricted to the Holarctic,[1] though Physokermes hemicryphus has been introduced to North America.[2] Some species are plant pests.

Physokermes
Bud scales
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Physokermes

Targioni Tozzetti 1868
Species

See text

Morphology edit

Pre-reproductive females are membranous and reddish-brown, once females begin to lay eggs they are globular or kidney-shaped become light to dark brown, and eventually heavily sclerotized.[3] The adult females resemble the bud of their coniferous hosts,[4] hence the name bud scale.

Physokermes are difficult to identify to species, as only pre-reproductive females can be used.[4] Once females begin to oviposit, their bodies become distorted and it is not possible to detect the morphological features necessary to identify them to species.

Species edit

There are 13 described species in the genus Physokermes:[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Kozar, F; Gounari, S; Hodgson, C; Fetyk, K; Goras, G. "A new species of Physokermes Targioni Tozzetti (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) from Greece". Zootaxa. 3566: 23=28. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  2. ^ Furniss, Malcolm M (2004). "Observations on an introduced bud scale, Physokermes hemicryphus (Homoptera: Coccidae), infesting Norway spruce in Idaho". Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 34 (6): 1348–1352. doi:10.1139/x04-016. ISSN 0045-5067.
  3. ^ a b García Morales, M; Denno, BD; Miller, DR; Ben-Dov, Y; Hardy, NB (2016). "Physokermes entry on scalenet". ScaleNet: A literature-based model of scale insect biology and systematics. Database. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b Malumphy, C (2009). "Confirmation of the presence of small spruce bud scale, Physokermes hemicryphus (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae), in Britain". British Journal of Entomology and Natural History. 22 (1): 15–22.