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Dactylopius opuntiae
Life
> Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa
> Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Phylum:
Arthopoda > Mandibulata >
Atelocerata > Panhexapoda >
Hexapoda
> Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota >
Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Paraneoptera > Condylognatha
> Hemiptera (bugs) >
Sternorryncha
> Superfamily:
Coccoidea > Family: Dactylopiidae
> Genus: Dactylopius
Dactylopius opuntiae with ants in attendance. Cochineal insects do not produce
honeydew so the ants are presumably being attracted by something else. |
There are two forms of this species, the one
host specific to
Opuntia ficus-indica and the other host specific to
Opuntia stricta. If they interbreed, the progeny are able to
feed on both host plants. Dactylopius opuntiae was originally
introduced to South Africa for the biological control of
Opuntia ficus-indica.
Publications
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