Phylogenetic Evolution of Coccoidea and Systematics of the Family Diaspididae

This study analyzes the phylogenetic evolution of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) and the systematic development of the family Diaspididae based on paleontological, morphological, and taxonomic data. Fossil specimens from Baltic and Canadian amber, as well as materials from the Eocene and Oligocene, were examined using published sources. The results show that early scale insects emerged as an independent group in the Permian, with the main families forming during the Carboniferous, Permian, and Triassic, while most modern groups originated in the Cretaceous. The family Diaspididae represents the most specialized lineage within Neococcoidea, characterized by reduction in body size, regression of morphological organs, and development of a wax covering. The findings highlight the significance of evolutionary processes in shaping the taxonomy and global distribution of Diaspididae.