Ortheziidae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Paraneoptera
Superordo: Condylognatha
Ordo: Hemiptera
Subordo: Sternorrhyncha
Superfamilia: Coccoidea

Familia: Ortheziidae
Genera (20): Acropygorthezia – Arctorthezia – Jermycoccus – Matileortheziola – Mixorthezia – Neomixorthezia – Neonipponorthezia – Newsteadia – Nipponorthezia – Nipponorthezinella – Ochyrocoris – Orthezia – Orthezinella – Ortheziola – Ortheziolacoccus – Ortheziolamameti – Palaeonewsteadia – Protorthezia – †Burmorthezia – †Cretorthezia
References

Vea, I.M. 2014: Morphology of the males of seven species of Ortheziidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea). American Museum novitates, (3812) DOI: 10.1206/3812.1 Reference page.
Vea, I.M.; Grimaldi, D.A. 2012: Phylogeny of ensign scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Ortheziidae) based on the morphology of Recent and fossil females. Systematic entomology, 37 (4): 758–783. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2012.00638.x

Links

Miller, D. & Y. Ben-Dov. 2005. ScaleNet[1]
Vernacular names
English: ensign scales

Ortheziidae is a family of scale insects commonly known as the ensign scales or ortheziids. They occur in most parts of the world but the majority of the species are found in the Neotropical and Nearctic regions while there are not many species in Australasia and the Far East.[2] There are twenty valid genera and 198 species.[3]

Hosts

Ensign scales are found on a wide range of host plants including mosses, grasses, small herbaceous plants, woody shrubs and even fungi.[2]
Description

Adult ensign scales have six dark coloured legs, a pair of dark antennae and stalked eyes. The apex of the antennae have thick terminal bristly setae. There are several abdominal spiracles and an anal ring on the dermal surface, with pores and setae. The upper surface of the body is covered in a thick waxy secretion giving it a decorated, fluted appearance.[2]
Life cycle

Ensign scales have four instars in the female and usually five instars in the male. The male penultimate and ultimate nymphal stages (prepupa and pupa) are mobile but non-feeding like adult males. The eggs are usually laid in an ovisac attached to the perimeter of the ventral abdomen by a band.[2]
Genera

Acropygorthezia
Arctorthezia
Graminorthezia
Insignorthezia
Jermycoccus
Matileortheziola
Mixorthezia
Neomixorthezia
Neonipponorthezia
Newsteadia
Nipponorthezia
Nipponorthezinella
Orthezia
Orthezinella
Ortheziola
Ortheziolacoccus
Ortheziolamameti
Palaeonewsteadia
Praelongorthezia

References

Enderlein, G. 1914. [Scale insects]. 369-370. In: Brohmer, P. (Editor), Fauna von Deutschland, ein Bestimmungsbuch unserer heimischen Tierwelt. [Fauna of Germany; a definition book of our native animal world]. , Leipzig.
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Kozár, F. 2004. In: , Ortheziidae of the World. Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. 525 pp