Classification

Aphidinae: Aphidini

Common name(s)

Maize aphid, sorghum aphid

Diagnosis

Apterae rather elongate, with short antennae and short, dark siphunculi. The dorsum of abdomen yellow-green to dark olive-green or bluish green, sometimes dusted with wax. Alatae have yellow-green to dark-green abdomen without dorsal dark markings anterior to the siphunculi. Siphunculi dark, area around anterior parts also darker. In light coloured specimens head and thorax dark in contrast to abdominal dorsum. Body 2-2.5x as long as antennae. Antennae can be five- or rarely six-segmented. Processus terminalis 1.7-2.5x as long as base of last antennal segment. Siphunculi dark, 1.6x as long as cauda.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan. Throughout India.

Host plant(s)

Poaceae: Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Hordeum vulgare L., Pennisetum glaucum R.Br., Sorghum bicolor Moench, Triticum aestivum L., Zea mays L.; Cyperaceae: Cyperus rotundus Miq.

Measurements

Aptera: Length of body 1.98, width 1.07; antennae 0.72, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.17: 0.11: 0.07: (0.09+0.16); u.r.s. 0.09; h.t.2 0.11; siphunculus 0.06; cauda 0.04.
Alata: Length of body 1.99, width 0.89; antennae 0.98, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.29: 0.14: 0.13: (0.11+0.27); u.r.s. 0.09; h.t.2 0.10; siphunculus 0.05; cauda 0.03.

Seasonal occurrence

Throughout the year, particularly abundant on flowering stage of the host plants.

Natural enemies

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Alloneda dodecaspilota (Hope), Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Coccinella transversalis F., C. undecimpunctata L., Coelophora bissellata Mulsant, Harmonia dimidiata (F.), H. octomaculata (F.), O. kirbyi Mulsant, O. sexareata (Mulsant), Propylea dissecta (Mulsant), P. luteopustulata (Mulsant), Cryptogonus quadriguttatus (Weise), Nephus regularis Sicard, Scymnus (Pullus) castaneus Sicard, S. (P.) latemaculatus Motschulsky.

Diptera: Syrphidae: Allograpta javana (Wiedemann), Dideopsis aegrota (F.), Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer), Ischiodon scutellaris (F.), Paragus tibialis (Fallen).

Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae: Aphelinus gossypii Timberlake.

Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Aphidius colemani Viereck, A. uzbekistanicus Luzhetzki, Ephedrus cavariellae Takada, Lysiphlebus ambiguus (Haliday).

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Habitus