Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus, 1758

Escama, brown soft scale

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Arthropoda

Class
Insecta

Order
Hemiptera

Suborder
Sternorrhyncha

Superfamily
Coccoidea

Family
Coccidae

Genus
Coccus

Species
hesperidum

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Year of first record: 1902

Mode of introduction: Accidental

Introduction Pathway: Contaminant

Subpathway: Contaminant on plants (inc. seeds and plant associated material)

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: No data

Ecology

Substrate or host preferences: The Galapagos host plants: Psychotria rufipes (white wild coffee), Gossypium barbadense (The Galapagos cotton), Musa paradisiaca sapientum (banana), Cocos nucifera (coconut palm),Erigeron bonariensis (Flaxleaf fleabane),Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Chinese hibiscus), Ludwigia leptocarpa (false loosestrife), Matisia cordata,Piscidia carthagenensis (matazarno), Psychotria rufipes (white wild coffee), Roystonea regia (Royal palm).

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: Baltra, Isabela, Pinta, Seymour Norte, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz

References

  • Lincango, M.P. Hodgson, C. & Causton, C. (2008) Lista anotada de los insectos escama (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) de las islas Galápagos, Ecuador. Charles Darwin Research Station, unpublished, 17 pp.
  • Lincango, P. Hodgson, C., Causton, C. & Miller, D. (2010) An updated checklist of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Galapagos Research, 67: 3-7.
  • Linsley, E.G. Usinger, R.L. (1966) Insects of the Galápagos Islands. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences Fourth Series 33(7): 113-196.
  • Peck, S.B. (2001) Smaller Orders of Insects of the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador: Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity. NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 278 pp.
  • Peck, S.B. (1996) Origin and development of an insect fauna on a remote archipelago: The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. In: Keast A., Miller S.E. (eds.): The origin and evolution of Pacific Island biotas, New Guinea to eastern Polynesia: patterns and processes. SPB Academic Publishing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, p. 91-122.
  • Peck, S.B. Heraty, J., Landry, B. & Sinclair, B.J. (1998) Introduced insect fauna of an oceanic archipelago: The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Am. Entomol. 44: 218-237.
  • Williams, M.L. (1977) Scale insects of the Galapagos islands In D.R Miller, J.A Davidson, M. Kosztarab (Eds.), Morphology and Systematics of scales insects (Ed.127, Vol. 9, pp. 85-98). Research Division Bulletin, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and State University.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Coccus hesperidum", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=11091. Accessed 31 October 2026.