Wu, J., Gruwell, M.E., Gwiazdowski, R.A., & Normark, B.B. 2008 Do male armored scale insects harbor Cardinium bacteria?. Proceedings of the XI International Symposium on Scale Insect Studies, Oeiras, Portugal, 24-27 September 2007. ISA Press Lisbon, Portugal 322 pp.

Notes: Cardinium bacteria were first found in armored scale insects (Hemiptera, Diaspididae by Weeks et al (2003). Further investigation of Cardinium in Aspidiotus nerii Boucl? by Provencher et al. (2005) found that Cardinium is associated with the parthenogenetic lineage in that species. However, a later survey of Cardinium across over 100 species of armored scales insects by Gruwell & Normark (2007) found a lack of association between Cardinium and parthenogenesis. To investigate the effects of Cardinium in armored scales, we ha e undertaken broader population sampling of several armored scale species found to harbor Cardinium infections, using PCR of 16S rDNA with Cardinium-specific primers. Whereas previous surveys used adult females, here we survey different life stages for the presence of Cardinium. By testing eggs for Cardinium infection, we seek to rule out the possibility of contamination by parasitoids. By testing males, when these are present, we seek to rule out male-eliminating phenotypes such as parthenogenesis induction, feminization, male-killing. and some types of cytoplasmic incompatibility. Our survey includes the following species: Aspidiotus nerii, Chionaspis heterophyllae, Dynaspidiotus degeneratus, Hemiberlesia palmae. Howardia biclavis, Unaspis euonymi, and Palinaspis quohogiformis. We also conduct a phylogenetic analysis of the resulting sequences, in order to control for the possibility of - ntamination and in order to further investigate the diversity and evolution of Cardinium d its host associations.