Classification
Aphidinae: Aphidini
Common name(s)
Black citrus aphid
Diagnosis
Apterae and alatae both 1.1 mm-2.0mm. Apterae are rather small, oval, shiny, reddish brown, brown-black or black, with black-and-white banded antennae and black siphunculi and cauda. Immature stages are brownish. Alatoid nymphs have very pale (almost white) thorax and wing buds. Alatae have a dark brown to black abdomen; forewing has a black pterostigma and normally a once-branched media, unusual for Aphidinae. Body 1.12-1.15 times as long as antennae. Siphunculi almost twice as long as cauda. Processus terminalis 4-4.5 times longer than base of antennal segment. Ultimate rostral segment longer than ht2. Siphunculi and cauda equally dark. Cauda bears 10-20 hairs.
The aphids show great variation in wing venation. Many alatae had twice-branched media and a few alatae even have branched radial sector. Few adults have asymmetrical wing venation, with right wing with once-branched media and left with twice-branched. However, all alatae exhibit the typical, highly pigmented pterostigma, which is a distinguishing character of this species.
This aphid lives often in dense colonies attended by ants on young shoots and undersides of young leaves, causing slight rolling, twisting or bending of the mid rib. Large colonies produce an audible scraping sound when disturbed.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan, particularly throughout the tropics and subtropics. Throughout India.
Host plant(s)
Euphorbiaceae: Acalypha sp.; Annonaceae: Annona squamosa Linn., Artabotrys odoratissima Blume.; Moraceae: Artocarpus heterophylla Lamk., A. incisa Linn. f., Ficus sp.; Nyctaginaceae: Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd.; Theaceae: Camelia theifera Griff; Apocynaceae: Carissa carandus Linn.; Solanaceae: Cestrum nocturnum Linn.; Rutaceae: Citrus sp., Limonia acidissima Linn.; Rubiaceae: Coffea arabica Linn., Ixora sp.; Malvaceae: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.; Santalaceae: Santalum album Linn.; Fabaceae: Tamarindus indica Linn.
Measurements
Aptera: Length of body 1.68, width 1.08; antennae 1.49, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.37: 0.26: 0.27: (0.09+0.39); u.r.s. 0.14; h.t.2 0.11; siphunculus 0.40; cauda 0.20.
Alata: Length of body 1.86, width 0.80; antennae 1.59, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.32: 0.29: 0.24: (0.09+0.37); u.r.s. 0.11; h.t.2 0.09; siphunculus 0.23; cauda 0.16.
Seasonal occurrence
September-October in and around Bangalore.
Natural enemies
Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Coccinella septempunctata L., C. transversalis F., Coelophora biplagiata (Swartz), C. bissellata Mulsant, Oenopia conglobata (L.), O. quadripunctata Kapur, O. sauzeti Mulsant, Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal), C. quadriguttatus (Weise), Pseudaspidimerus trinotatus (Thunberg), Scymnus (Pullus) pyrocheilus Mulsant, S. (P.) xerampelinus Mulsant.
Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Aphidius colemani Viereck, A. matricariae Haliday, Ephedrus sp., Lipolexis scutellaris Mackauer, Trioxys indicus Subba Rao & Sharma, T. sinensis Mackauer.