Kerriidae

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
Domain:	Eukaryota
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

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility^[1] lists:

1. Afrotachardina Chamberlin, 1923
2. Albotachardina Zhang, 1992
3. Austrotachardia Chamberlin, 1923
4. Austrotachardiella Chamberlin, 1923
5. Kerria Targioni-Tozzetti, 1884 - type genus
6. Laccifer Oken, 1815
7. Metatachardia Chamberlin, 1923
8. Paratachardina Balachowsky, 1950
9. Tachardia Blanchard, 1886
10. Tachardiella Cockerell, 1901
11. Tachardina Cockerell, 1901

See also

• Shellac
• Lac (resin)