Cochineal is the name of both crimson or carmine dye and the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), a scale insect from which the dye is derived. There are other species in the genus Dactylopius which can be used to produce cochineal extract, but they are extremely difficult to distinguish from D. coccus, even for expert taxonomists, and the latter scientific name (and the use of the term "coch...

Background: Sarcina ventriculi, a gram-positive coccus, are occasionally found in gastric biopsies. Although had been described more than 150 years ago, little is known about its pathogenicity humans.

I was very interested to read the letter of Dr Waitkins et al on the importance of Streptococcus milleri. We too isolate the organism from cases of empyema from time to time and would agree about the importance of S milleri in this context. Although we welcome this reminder about the pathogenicity of the organism, there is one aspect of the letter that could be misleading: S milleri apparently ...

In the Asian tropics, a conspicuous radiation of Macaranga plants is inhabited by obligately associated Crematogaster ants tending Coccus (Coccidae) scale insects, forming a tripartite symbiosis. Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that the plants and the ants have been codiversifying over the past 16-20 million years (Myr). The prevalence of coccoids in ant-plant mutualisms suggest that the...

Three new species of Coccidae: Cryptinglisia chilensis Kondo & Gullan sp. nov., Pulvinaria drimyswinteri Kondo & Gullan sp. nov., and Stictolecanium cranstoni Kondo & Gullan sp. nov., are described and illustrated. An updated species list and a taxonomic key to the 13 coccid species now known to occur in Chile are provided. Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi (Vallot) is newly recorded for Chile. Lec...

A gram-positive coccus, presently named Micrococcus mucilaginosus incertae sedis, was isolated from 14 blood cultures from a patient with endocarditis. The first positive blood culture was drawn 5 days after the patient underwent cardiac catheterization.

In two cases of infected total hip replacements, Peptococcus magnus was isolated in pure culture from the implant when it was removed. Fluorescent antibody and ELISA studies have shown that both patients developed an antibody response to this anaerobic coccus soon after the replacement operation. These results suggest that the organism is a true infective agent, which was probably responsible f...

El ácido carmínico es una sustancia que probablemente funciona como protección ante la depredación. Su concentración difiere entre Dactylopius coccus y D. opuntiae. Entonces, planteamos hipótesis de un depredador específico, el coccinélido Hyperaspis trifurcata, tendría preferencia alimentaria por especie con menor carmínico. Para comprobar esta se realizaron pruebas elección ambas especies en ...