A CLADISTIC-ANALYSIS OF WAX SCALES (HEMIPTERA, COCCOIDEA, COCCIDAE, CEROPLASTINAE)

Seven genera of wax scales (Ceroplastinae) have been accepted as valid by some or all coccidologists: Ceroplastes Gray, Ceroplastidia Cocker ell, Cerostegia De Lotto, Gascardia Targioni Tozzetti, Paracerostegia Tang, Vinsonia Signoret and Waxiella De Lotto. The status of most thes e genera is controversial. The present study reviews the taxonomic his tory of wax scales and presents a new classification based on cladisti c analysis of morphological data from the adult females of eighty-thre e species. The analysis indicates that the wax scales form a monophyle tic group, that Waxiella is monophyletic but that Ceroplastidia, Gasca rdia and Vinsonia are not, and fails to support the generic status of Cerostegia and Paracerostegia. Apart from the type species of Vinsonia , which was placed as a sister to the rest of wax scales, the only oth er species assigned to Vinsonia and most species of all other genera f all within Ceroplastes in the cladogram. Recognition of any of these g enera renders Ceroplastes paraphyletic or polyphyletic. Thus, cladisti cally, the wax scales should be classified into one genus, Ceroplastes .