Classification
Aphidinae: Aphidini
Common name(s)
Cowpea aphid
Diagnosis
Small aphids, young colonies concentrated on growing points of the host plant, and regularly attended by ants. Adults always shiny black, immatures lightly dusted with wax and light brownish; nymphs collected on pigeonpea and Gliricidia light reddish brown. Siphunculi and cauda black. Abdomen black dorsally, pigmentation often extending laterally to enclose lateral sclerites and to encircle bases of siphunculi. In small specimens, pigmentation broken, not extending so far laterally. Antenna about 2/3 as long as body. Segments I, II, and apex of V dark, segments III, IV and basal V pale. Cauda with 4-7 hairs.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan, particularly well distributed through the tropics.
Host plant(s)
Malvaceae: Abelmoschus esculentus Moench, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.; Fabaceae: Abrus sp., Arachis hypogaea Willd., Cajanus cajan (L.), Cicer arietinum Linn., Cassia fistula L., Crotolaria juncea L., Crotolaria mucronata Desvaux, Cyamopsis psoraloides DC., Dalbergia sisso, Dolichos lablab L., Gliricidia maculata (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp., Glycine max Merrill., Lathyrus sativus Linn., Lens culinaris Medic., Medicago sativa L., Mimosa pudica Mill., Moringa oleifera Lam., Phaseolus mungo L., Phaseolus sinensis Hort.ex Schur, Pisum sativum L., Saraca indica L., Sesbania grandiflora Pers., S. speciosa (Soland. Ex Seem.), Tephrosia purpurea Pers., Trigonella polycerrata, Vicia faba Linn., Vigna catjang Walp, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.; Asteraceae: Ageratum conyzoides L., Helianthus annuus, Sonchus sp., Tagetes erecta Linn.; Amaranthaceae: Amaranthus spinosus Linn.; Liliaceae: Asperagus mayuri; Cucurbitaceae: Benincasa hispida Cogn., Cucurbita maxima Wall., Lagenaria vulgaris Ser., Luffa cylindrica M.Roem.; Nyctaginaceae: Bougainvillaea spectabilis Willd.; Orchidaceae: Calanthe sylvatica; Caricaceae: Carica papaya L.; Convolvulaceae: Cuscuta sp.; Oleaceae: Jasminum sp.; Solanaceae: Lycopersicon esculentum P.Miller, Solanum melongena Wall., Solanum nigrum L.; Rubiaceae: Mussaenda sp.; Lamiaceae: Ocimum sanctum L.
Measurements
Aptera: Length of body 2.12, width 1.22; antennae 1.39, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.34: 0.26: 0.22: (0.13+0.32); u.r.s. 0.10; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus 0.28; cauda 0.20.
Alata: Length of body 2.21, width 1.01; antennae 1.42, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.32: 0.20: 0.20: (0.13+0.33); u.r.s. 0.11; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus 0.24; cauda 0.19.
Seasonal occurrence
Throughout the year. During June-July and January to February, it makes enormous colonies on Gliricidia maculata.
Natural enemies
Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Anegleis cardoni (Weise), Brumoides suturalis (F.), Calvia punctata (Mulsant), Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Coccinella septempunctata L., C. transversalis F., C. undecimpunctata L., Coelophora biplagiata (Swartz), Cryptogonus orbiculus (Gyllenhal), Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, Harmonia dimidiata (F.), H. eucharis (Mulsant), H. octomaculata (F.), H. sedecimnotata (F.), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), Propylea japonica (Thunberg), Pseudaspidimerus trinotatus (Thunberg), P. flaviceps (Walker), Scymnus (Pullus) pyrocheilus Mulsant, S. (P.) castaneus Sicard, S. (P.) latemaculatus Motschulsky, S. (P.) xerampelinus Mulsant, S. (S.) nubilus Mulsant.
Diptera: Syrphidae: Allograpta javana (Wiedemann), Betasyrphus serarius (Wiedemann), Dideopsis aegrota (F.), Eupeodes confrater (Wiedemann), Paragus serratus (F.), P. indicus Brunetti, P. tibialis (Fallen), P. yerburiensis Stuckenberg, Ischiodon scutellaris (F.), Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer).
Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh), Lipolexis scutellaris Mackauer, Praon abjectum (Haliday), Toxares zakai Shujauddin, Trioxys indicus Subba Rao & Sharma.