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 galliformis

Extends the reported host range of A galliformis to include Quercus rubra and shumardii.

Allokermes galliformis

Allokermes galliformis (Riley) (Hemiptera: Kermesidae) is the most abundant and widespread species of kermes scale in North America. It is present in 34 of the contiguous United States, in addition to being documented in Canada, Japan, and Mexico (Bullington and Kosztarab 1985, Gill 1993, Kosztarab 1996, García Morales et al. 2016). A. galliformis reportedly feeds on more than 40 species of oak trees as well as several species of chinquapin, but tentative identifications are common because A. galliformis morphology often changes based on its host plant (Baer and Kosztarab 1985, Kosztarab 1996).

The majority of Instar II females were present in mid-to-late June, and the majority of Instar III females occurred in early and mid-July. Instar III and early adult females turned maroon to brown (Fig. 2C). The peak time for reproductive female development is from mid-August through mid-September, and post-reproductive females were easily identifiable because their protective venter turned tan with three rows of dark spots (Fig. 2D).

Allokermes galliformis (Riley, 1881)

Kermes galliformis Riley 1881: 482.
Kermes waldeni King 1914: 150-151.
Coccus galliformis (Riley, 1881)
Talla galliformis (Riley, 1881)
Talla waldeni (King, 1914)
Kermes emoryi Ferris 1955a: 197-198.
Kermococcus galliformis (Riley, 1881)
Allokermes galliformis (Riley, 1881)
Allokermes gallinocolus (Riley, 1881)

Hosts: Quercus agrifolia, alba, arizonica, chrysolepis, coccinea, douglasii, durata, emoryi, falcata, gambelii, garryana, gravesii, grisea, hypoleucoides, ilicifolia, imbricaria, incana, kelloggii, laevis, laurifolia, lobata, macrocarpa, marilandica, michauxii, nigra, oblongifolia, palustris, petraea, phellos, phillyreoides, pungens, robur, stellata, undulata, velutina, virginiana

Structure: Adult female is subspherical, polished, smooth and pale yellow (Riley, 1881).

Distr: Ontario, AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IN, IO, KS, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI

Kermes galliformis

Host: Quercus kellogii

[Kermes galliformis] is very different, the color being pale yellow; appears minutely and evenly speckled with brown under a hand lens and is more or less confused or mottled with gray or brown. Just recently Mr. E. O. Essig sent me Kermes galliformis Riley and Kermes cockerelli Ehrh. collected by Mr. E. J. Branigan on Cache Creek near Yolo, Yolo County, California, May 16, 1910, on California black oak, Quercus kelloggii Newli. Here they were associated together on the same host plant.

Distr: CA