Phoenicococcidae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
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: Phoenicococcidae
Genus: Phoenicococcus
References

Miller, D. & Y. Ben-Dov. 2005. ScaleNet[1]

Phoenicococcidae is a family of scale insects commonly known as palm scales or phoenicococcids. There is a single genus containing one species, Phoenicococcus marlatti.[2]

Hosts

Palms in the genus Phoenix are the main host for Phoenicococcus marlatti but occasionally it has been found infesting other palms. It is widely distributed in areas where palms grow but it is likely that it is native to north Africa.[2]
Description

Adult phoenicococcids are nearly circular, up to 1.5 millimetres long and a dark red colour. They are usually found embedded in a white waxy nest at the base of palm fronds. They have no legs and the antennae have a single segment.[2]
Life cycle

There are three instars in the female and five in the male phoenicococcid. There are many overlapping generations with scales of all ages being present at any time of year. Development takes about sixty days in warm conditions but is much slower with cooler conditions.[3]
References

Stickney, F.S. 1934. The external anatomy of the red date scale Phoenicococcus marlatti Cockerell, and its allies. United States Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 404: 1-162.
UDSA Agricultural Research Service Archived 2010-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
Stickney, F.S., Barnes, D.W. & Simmons, P. 1950. Date palm insects in the United States. Circular (United States Department of Agriculture) No. 846: 1-57.