Data from: Species delimitation of the cochineal insects (Dactylopius) using molecular phylogenetics and morphology (Ph.D. thesis)

Cochineal insects (Dactylopius: Dactylopiidae: Coccoidea) are strict
cactus parasites that are both pests of agriculture, commercially grown
themselves, and useful biological control agents. Any genetic framework
for this genus is completely lacking at onset of this project. Work here
is focused on species delimitation within the genus Dactylopius. In the
first chapter I present a morphological description of a new species of
Dactylopius from the Chihuahuan Desert. In the second chapter I delimit
the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus) using mtDNA data using a variety
of population genetic and phylogenetic approaches. Third chapter I use
mtDNA and nuclear coding and non-coding DNA to delimit the other species
found within the genus sampled from across their recorded geographic and
host-plant range.