Kerriidae is a family of scale insects,[2] commonly known as lac insects or lac scales, erected by Karl Lindinger in 1937.
| Kerriidae | |
|---|---|
| |
| rosette lac scale (Paratachardina decorella) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hemiptera |
| Suborder: | Sternorrhyncha |
| Superfamily: | Coccoidea |
| Family: | Kerriidae Lindinger, 1937 |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Kerridae | |
Some members of the genera Metatachardia, Tachardiella, Austrotacharidia, Afrotachardina, Tachardina, and Kerria are raised for commercial purposes, though the most commonly cultivated species is Kerria lacca. These insects secrete a waxy resin that is harvested and converted commercially into lac and shellac, used in various dyes, cosmetics, food glazes, wood finishing varnishes and polishes.[citation needed]
Commercilly-used species include:
- Kerria lacca – true lac scale
- Paratachardina decorella – rosette lac scale
- Paratachardina pseudolobata – lobate lac scale
Genera
editThe Global Biodiversity Information Facility[1] lists:
- Afrotachardina Chamberlin, 1923
- Albotachardina Zhang, 1992
- Austrotachardia Chamberlin, 1923
- Austrotachardiella Chamberlin, 1923
- Kerria Targioni-Tozzetti, 1884 - type genus
- Laccifer Oken, 1815
- Metatachardia Chamberlin, 1923
- Paratachardina Balachowsky, 1950
- Tachardia Blanchard, 1886
- Tachardiella Cockerell, 1901
- Tachardina Cockerell, 1901
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Global Biodiversity Information Facility: family Keriidae (retrieved 19 July 2025)
- ^ Ben-Dov, Yair; et al. (Miller, Douglass R.; Gibson, Gary A. P.) (2006). A Systematic Catalogue of Eight Scale Insect Families (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of The World. Elsevier Science. p. 247. ISBN 978-0-444-52836-0.
