Pulz, C.E., dos Santos Wolff, V.R., & Carvalho, G.S. 2008 What do we know about carmine cochineal (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Dactylopiidae in Brazil?. Proceedings of the XI International Symposium on Scale Insect Studies, Oeiras, Portugal, 24-27 September 2007. ISA Press Lisbon, Portugal 322 pp.

Notes: Carmine cochineal, known worldwide because of the dye that it produces and because of its economic importance in Brazil, lacks studies on the following aspects: morphology, biology and distribution, and also knowledge about their hosts and natural enemies. According to the literature, there are three species in Brazil: Dactylopius ceylonicus (Green, 1896), Dactylopius coccus Costa, 1829, and Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell, 1896). However, the diversity of these cochineal insects and their natural enemies may become greater as more regions and hosts are surveyed and the taxonomic studies improved. This paper presents a preliminary survey of their diversity, hosts and natural enemies, as well showing the main morphological characters of both males and females. The material studied is from samples collected on Tacinga palmadora (Britton & Rose) and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller from northeastern Brazil. The dactylopiids were mounted on slides and stubs for a better view of the morphological structures and both slides and stubs are deposited in the Museu Prof. Ramiro Gomes Costa - FEP AGRO collection. From these specimens (nymphs, adult females and males), digital images of their morphology were obtained under the optical microscope at FEP AGRO and using the scanning electron microscope at Centro de Microscopia e Microanalises at PUCRS. These were used to provide detailed morphological characterization, for the construction of the key and the data matrix for the phylogenetic studies. Characters used were: body shape; antennae; clusters and number of quinquelocular pores, narrow-rimmed pon's and wide-rimmed pores and their association or not with tubular ducts; shape, size and distribution of the setae (cylindrical with a truncate or rounded apex to hairlike); the number and distribution of the setae on the legs and the presence of translucent pores; shape and inner margin of the spiracles; tegumental structures; vulvar area and anal ring. These were compared with the known spedes descriptions. Cochineal collecting data and information on the hosts was used to give data on the distribution and provide a checklist of the insect hosts. Data on the natural enemies has also been collected from the literature and from the collected material.