# Cochineal (*Dactylopius coccus*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/dactylopius-coccus  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The cochineal (Dactylopius coccus) is an insect in the family Dactylopiidae, part of the order Hemiptera and suborder Sternorrhyncha. It is also called the cochineal scale, cochineal insect or true cochineal bug, and its scientific name was authored by Costa, 1829. Checklists record it in Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Morocco, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru, Pakistan, Syria, Türkiye, Venezuela and South Africa.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | 15 countries |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Insecta
- order: Hemiptera
- family: Dactylopiidae
- genus: Dactylopius
- species: *Dactylopius coccus* Costa, 1829

Synonyms: *Coccus cacti subsp. domestica*, *Coccus carti*, *Coccus mexicanus*, *Coccus sativa*, *Dactylopius cacti*, *Dactylopius mexicanus*, *Dactylopius sativa*, *Pseudococcus signoreti*

## Countries on record

Countries where Catalogue of Life checklists list the species. Many checklists carry no country data, so the list is often incomplete. It is not a range map.

Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Syria, Türkiye, Venezuela

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the cochineal?

The cochineal is an insect. It belongs to the family Dactylopiidae in the order Hemiptera.

### What is the scientific name of the cochineal?

The scientific name of the cochineal is Dactylopius coccus, in the genus Dactylopius.

### Who named Dactylopius coccus and when?

Dactylopius coccus was named by Costa in 1829, written as Costa, 1829.

### Which countries is the cochineal recorded in?

Checklists record it in Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Morocco, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru, Pakistan, Syria, Türkiye, Venezuela and South Africa.

### What other names does the cochineal have?

The cochineal is also called the cochineal scale, cochineal insect and true cochineal bug.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/dactylopius-coccus