ScaleNet: Scale Insects (Coccoidea) Database

The objective of this database is to provide comprehensive information on the scale insects (Coccoidea) of the world, of which there are about about 7,800 species. Scale insects vary dramatically in their appearance from very small organisms (1-2mm) that occur under wax covers (some look like oyster shells), to shiny pearl-like objects (about 5mm), to creatures covered with mealy wax. They spend most or all of their lives feeding on plants and are primarily important as plant pests in greenhouses, backyards, and on fruit trees. Scale insects damage millions of dollars worth of food, ornamental, fiber and greenhouse crops each year. Until ScaleNet, information about the pests was buried in thousands of scientific journals and books, making it difficult for the average person to locate. The Agricultural Research Service developed ScaleNet with colleagues in Israel and Canada. It will allow anyone to locate every scale insect that experts over the centuries have found and named. Through keyword searches and other queries, ScaleNet provides comprehensive information including the insects' biology, classification, naming history, distribution, plant hosts, economic importance, controls and scientific literature about them. Currently, information can be retrieved for 49 families, namely Aclerdidae (grass scales), Albicoccidae, Arnoldidae, Asterolecaniidae (pit scales), Beesoniidae, Burmacoccidae, Callipappidae, Carayonemidae, Cerococcidae (ornate pit scales), Coccidae (soft scales), Coelostomidiidae, Conchaspididae (false armoured scales), Dactylopiidae (cochineal scales), Diaspididae (armoured scale insects), Electrococcidae, Eriococcidae (felt scales), Grimaldiellidae, Grohnidae, Halimococcidae, Hammanococcidae, Inkaidae, Jersicoccidae, Kermesidae (gall-like scales), Kerriidae (lac scales), Kukaspididae, Kuwaniidae, Labiococcidae, Lebanococcidae, Lecanodiaspididae (false pit scales), Lithuanicoccidae, Marchalinidae, Margarodidae (ground pearls), Matsucoccidae (bast scales), Micrococcidae, Monophlebidae, Ortheziidae (ensign scales), Pennygullaniidae, Phenacoleachiidae, Phoenicococcidae (date scales), Pityococcidae, Pseudococcidae (mealybugs), Putoidae, Rhizoecidae, Serafinidae, Steingeliidae, Stictococcidae, Stigmacoccidae, Weitschatidae, and Xylococcidae. The Reference database of ScaleNet includes about 25,000 references, the majority of which have been published since Linnaeus (1758). However, it also contains several pre-Linnean publications that are relevant to the nomenclature and systematics of the Coccoidea. Funding information to 2015: Originally ScaleNet was funded by United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) (Grant Numbers IS-2423-94 and IS-2605-95). Additional funding was supplied by the Systematic Entomology Laboratory to fund an additional computer, and two contracts to enter bibliographic information. The Agricultural Research Service of the USDA provided funding for a technical information specialist. Future grant funding to sustain ScaleNet to be added when available.本数据库旨在为全球介壳虫总科（Coccoidea）提供全面信息，目前已知该类群约有7800个物种。介壳虫的外观差异极大，从体长1-2毫米、被蜡质覆盖（部分个体外观类似牡蛎壳）的小型生物，到约5毫米的珍珠状光泽实体，再到覆盖蜡粉的各类形态个体。它们一生中大部分或全部时间都以植物为食，在温室、庭院及果树上多作为植物害虫造成危害。介壳虫每年会造成价值数百万美元的粮食、观赏植物、纤维作物及温室作物损失。在ScaleNet问世前，这类害虫的相关信息散落在数千份学术期刊与专著中，普通使用者难以检索获取。美国农业研究局联合以色列与加拿大的同行共同开发了ScaleNet。该数据库可让任何使用者检索到数个世纪以来专家发现并命名的所有介壳虫物种。通过关键词检索及其他查询方式，ScaleNet可提供全面的介壳虫相关信息，涵盖其生物学特性、分类体系、命名历史、分布范围、寄主植物、经济重要性、防治方法及相关学术文献。目前该数据库可检索到49个科的相关信息，分别为：草介科（Aclerdidae，grass scales）、Albicoccidae、Arnoldidae、链蚧科（Asterolecaniidae，pit scales）、Beesoniidae、Burmacoccidae、Callipappidae、Carayonemidae、饰边坑介科（Cerococcidae，ornate pit scales）、蚧科（Coccidae，soft scales）、Coelostomidiidae、假盾蚧科（Conchaspididae，false armoured scales）、胭脂蚧科（Dactylopiidae，cochineal scales）、盾蚧科（Diaspididae，armoured scale insects）、Electrococcidae、毡蚧科（Eriococcidae，felt scales）、Grimaldiellidae、Grohnidae、Halimococcidae、Hammanococcidae、Inkaidae、Jersicoccidae、瘿形介科（Kermesidae，gall-like scales）、紫胶蚧科（Kerriidae，lac scales）、Kukaspididae、Kuwaniidae、Labiococcidae、Lebanococcidae、伪链蚧科（Lecanodiaspididae，false pit scales）、Lithuanicoccidae、Marchalinidae、珠蚧科（Margarodidae，ground pearls）、松干蚧科（Matsucoccidae，bast scales）、Micrococcidae、Monophlebidae、旌介科（Ortheziidae，ensign scales）、Pennygullaniidae、Phenacoleachiidae、枣蚧科（Phoenicococcidae，date scales）、Pityococcidae、粉蚧科（Pseudococcidae，mealybugs）、Putoidae、Rhizoecidae、Serafinidae、Steingeliidae、Stictococcidae、Stigmacoccidae、Weitschatidae以及Xylococcidae。ScaleNet的参考文献数据库包含约25000条文献记录，其中绝大多数为林奈（Linnaeus，1758）之后发表的文献，但也收录了若干与介壳虫总科分类学及命名法相关的林奈时代前的出版物。截至2015年的资助信息：ScaleNet最初由美以农业研究与发展联合基金（United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund, BARD）资助，项目编号为IS-2423-94与IS-2605-95。系统昆虫学实验室额外提供经费用于购置一台计算机，并通过两份合同录入文献信息。美国农业部下属农业研究局为一名技术信息专员提供了资助经费。后续用于维护ScaleNet的资助信息将在获取后补充更新。