Classification

Aphidinae: Aphidini

Diagnosis

Medium sized aphid, apterae oval, reddish brown to dark-olive with a whitish bloom on the ventral surface of the body and on all legs. Colour of apterae variable, but always with metallic sheen. Alatae are shiny black or dark-brown.

Antennae six-segmented, processus terminalis always more than three times as long as base. Siphunculi more than twice the length of cauda, both concolourous. Cauda bears only four hairs.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan. Found throughout India.

Host plant(s)

Nymphaeaceae: Nymphaea lotus Linnaeus; Araceae: Pistia sp.; Salviniaceae: Salvinia molesta D.S.Mitch.

Measurements

Aptera: Length of body 2.91, width 1.37; antennae 1.39, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.31: 0.21: 0.17: (0.14+0.56); u.r.s. 0.19; h.t.2 0.17; siphunculus 0.35; cauda 0.14.

Seasonal occurrence

November-December.

Natural enemies

Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Brumoides suturalis (F.), Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Coccinella septempunctata L., Harmonia eucharis (Mulsant), Micraspis sp., Scymnus (Neopullus) fuscatus (Boheman), Scymnus (Scymnus) nubilus Mulsant.

Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae: Ephedrus cavariellae Takada, Praon sp.

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