Aphis genistae
Aphis genistae is an aphid of the family Aphididae.[2]
| Aphis genistae | |
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| Aphis genistae on flowers of Genista species | |
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| Species: | A. genistae |
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| Aphis genistae Scopoli 1763 | |
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Distribution
This species can be found in most of Europe eastward to Ukraine and Turkey, and in the Nearctic realm (it has been introduced to North America).[3]
Description
Aphis genistae can reach a length of 1.4–2.6 millimetres (0.055–0.102 in). Apterae are black, coated with wax meal, while alatae have 4-8 secondary rhinaria.[4]
Biology
These insects mainly feed on small branches and flowers of Genista anglica, Genista lydia and Genista tinctoria (hence the species name),[5] but they have also been collected on Laburnum, Cytisus, Petteria, Spartium and Sophora species.[6] These aphids sometimes have a mutualistic relationship with ants. They are holocyclic (sex is involved, leading to egg production) and oviparae. Sexual females mate with the alate males in September to produce overwintering eggs.[4]
Bibliography
- Eastop & Hille Ris Lambers (1976), Survey of the world’s aphids, Dr. W. Junk, The Hague 573 pp
- García Prieto, Pérez Hidalgo, Mier Durante & Nieto (2004) Updated check-list of Iberian-Balearic Aphidini (Hemiptera, Aphididae), Graellsia 60(2):197-214
- Hille Ris Lambers (1956[1955]) On aphids from the Netherlands with descriptions of new species (Aphididae, Homoptera), Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 98(4):229-249
- Hille Ris Lambers (1959) Notes on European aphids with descriptions of new genera and species (Homoptera, Aphididae), Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft 32(2-3):271-286
- Jacob (1945) Note on the classification of the British species of "black aphides" (Hemiptera, Aphididae), Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London Series B, Taxonomy 14(7):102-110
- Kaltenbach (1843), Monographie der Familien der Pflanzenläuse (Phytophthires), P. Fagot, Aachen 222 pp
- Mordvilko (1909[1908]) Tableaux pour servir à la détermination des groupes et des genres des Aphididae Passerini, Ezegodnik Zoologiceskago Muzeja Imperatorskoj Nauk Sankt Peterburg 13:353-384
- R. L. Blackman, Victor F. Eastop - Aphids on the World's Herbaceous Plants and Shrubs, 2 Volume Set
- Remaudière, G. & M. Remaudière (1997), Catalogue of the World’s Aphididae, INRA, Paris 473 pp