Host-plant diversity might drive species richness in coccids (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae) (original) (raw)

Abstract

The extraordinarily species-rich insect herbivores and their host plants are a major component of the observed diversity of life on earth. Insect-plant interactions are among the most fundamental biological associations, but how they drive diversification is still not well understood. Here, we use data from an online database (ScaleNet) to examine host associations of Coccidae, a species-rich family of scale insects, to try to determine how host use might drive diversity in the group. There is a strong and significant correlation between host-plant species richness (per family) and coccid species richness on a host plant family. Furthermore, we find a significant positive relationship host plant richness (family) and coccid species diversity at the genus level. Our results indicate that 1) coccid species-level diversity is correlated to host breadth at the genus level, and 2) diversification of this family might be associated with host plant species richness. That is, host-plant div...

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