Aphids (Insecta:
Hemiptera: Aphididae) of Aligarh region of Uttar Pradesh, India
M.K. Usmani 1 & Uzma Rafi 2
1,2 Section of Entomology, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh 202002, India
Email:
1 usmanikamil94@gmail.com
Date of publication
(online): 26 November 2009
Date of publication (print): 26
November 2009
ISSN 0974-7907 (online) |
0974-7893 (print)
Editor: Md. Equbal
Ahmad
Manuscript details:
Ms # o2164
Received 24 March 2009
Final received 13 November 2009
Finally accepted 20 November 2009
Citation: Usmani, M.K.
& U. Rafi (2009). Aphids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae) of Aligarh region
of Uttar Pradesh, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 1(11): 573-577.
Copyright: © M.K. Usmani
& Uzma Rafi 2009. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. JoTT
allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium for non-profit purposes, reproduction
and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of
publication.
Acknowledgments:We are thankful to Prof. Asif Ali Khan, Chairman, Department of
Zoology, A.M.U. Aligarh for facilities. We are also thankful to Prof. Samiran Chakraborti, Deptartment of
Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani (W.B.) for help in identification. Financial support by the University Grant
Commission to UR is acknowledged.
Aphids are small, soft bodied
insects belonging to the Family Aphididae of Order Hemiptera, and Suborder
Homoptera. Around 4702 species of aphids
are known world wide and 653 species are known from India (Rajendran 2002).
They are ‘plant lice’, sucking
cell sap from their host plant and hence are serious agricultural pests. Aphids act as a vector of plant viruses and
assume economic importance. About 300
species of aphids are vectors of 300 different viruses (Eastop & Lambers
1976). In India nearly 1250 plant species belonging to 700 genera under 175
plant families are used as food plants by 653 species of aphids accommodated
under 208 genera of aphids.
Important agricultural areas in
different localities of Aligarh and I.A.R.I. Pusa, New Delhi were surveyed
during 2006-2008 for aphid pests on agricultural crops. During the survey five species of aphids were
recorded. This is the first systematic
collection of aphids from Aligarh region.
In the present study, the authors
followed Blackman & Eastop (2000), Ghosh (1969), Ghosh & Basu (1994),
Kulkarni (2006), and Raychaudhuri (1980) in classifying aphids, on conventional
morphological characters. Brief diagnosis
of family, subfamily, tribe and genera with necessary keys of genera and
species including colouration are given.
Methods
Aphids were
collected from their host plants with a soft brush soaked in alcohol, fixed
either in 96% alcohol or in fluid containing of two volumes of 96% alcohol and
one volume of 75% of lactic acid and were mounted on slides, which were studied under light microscope. Measurements were done with ocular micrometer
and camera lucida drawings were made. All measurements in mm.
Taxonomic
account
Superfamily:
Aphidoidea
Diagnostic Characters: Mouth parts present in both
sexes. Antennae variable 1-6 segmented. They are polymorphic. Alatae forms with two pairs of transparent
membranous wings, legs long and slender, tarsi 2 segmented, the basal segment
sometimes reduced with paired claws, paired dorsal processes i.e. cornicles
present on 5th or 6th abdominal segment.
Family: Aphididae
Diagnostic Characters: Radial sector is present in fore
wing; Media of fore wing is branched. Cornicles nearly always present but vary in shape and size from very
small pore like to very long and slender.
Subfamily: Aphidinae
Diagnostic
Characters:Processus terminalis (p.t.) usually longer than base of last antennal segment,
head and pronotum in apterae mutually free. Eyes always multifaceted, siphunculi and cauda usually elongate. Cauda longer than broad. Subanal plate never
indented or bilobed. Empodial hairs
always fine. Body sometimes with processi. Secondary rhinaria never subannular or ring like.
The subfamily
Aphidinae is further divided into tribes.
Tribe: Aphidini:
Diagnostic
Characters: Spiracles
present on abdominal segments 1 and 2 placed far apart, lateral abdominal
tubercles usually present on abdominal segment 1 and 7, other segments with or
without these tubercles; lateral frontal tubercles not or hardly developed;
antennal hairs usually fine; antenna and body never densely pilose, apterae
never with secondary rhinaria.
The tribe
Aphidini is represented by two genera from this region. Key to genera of tribe Aphidini is given
below.
Genus Aphis Linnaeus
Aphis Linnaeus, 1758,Nat. (10 ed), 1:451.
Type species: Aphis
sambuci Linnaeus, 1758.
This genus is
represented by three species from Aligarh and Delhi region.
1. Aphis
craccivora Koch
(Fig. 1)
Aphis
craccivora Koch,
1854, Die Pfl. Aphiden, 1:124.
Material
examined: Four
apterae on Dolichos Lablab purpureus (=Dolichos lablab) from
Aligarh.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan,
distributed through the tropical region.
Diagnostic
characters:Small sized aphid, adults shiny black and nymphs light brown; siphunculi and
cauda black. Abdomen dorsally black and
completely sclerotic, pigmentation extending towards the lateral sides to
enclose lateral sclerites and to encircle bases of siphunculi. Antenna slightly
shorter to slightly longer than body. Antennal segments I, II, and apex of V dark, segments III, IV and base
of V pale. Siphunculi longer than cauda and imbricated, Cauda with 4-7 hairs.
Aptera: Length of body
1.94, width 1.28; antennae 1.48, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.36: 0.27: 0.24:
(0.13+0.30); u.r.s. 0.12; h.t.2 0.14; siphunculus 0.42; cauda 0.26.
Alata: (From Lit.)
Length of body 2.22, width 1.03; antennae 1.42, segments III: IV: V: VI 0.32:
0.28: 0.26:(0.12+0.32); u.r.s. 0.10; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus 0.28; cauda 0.19.
Hosts: Plants belonging
to the families Malvaceae, Fabaceae,
Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae etc.
Seasonal
occurrence: Throughout
the year. During June-July and January-February, it makes enormous colonies on Gliricidia
maculata.
Natural enemies: Cheilomenes
sexmaculata recorded from Aligarh on Aphis craccivora. Yellowish orange colored beetle having two
black transverse bands and a round spot on each elytra. Larvae and adults are
voracious feeders.
Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877, Rep.
comm. Agric. Oper. Dep., (1876), 36.
Material
examined: Two
alatoid nymphs, two alate and four apterous adults on Brassica compestris,Coriandrum sativum, from Aligarh and on Coccinia indica and Gossypiumfrom I.A.R.I. New Delhi.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan.
Diagnostic
characters:Small to medium in size. Apterae variable in color, large specimens usually
greenish-black. Nymphs light green with dark siphunculi and a pale or dusky
cauda. Antenna six segmented, secondry
rhinaria absent in apterae while found in alatae on antennal segment III, IV,
and V. Segments I, II, apical side of processus terminalis and area around the
primary rhinarium of segment VI dark; remaining part of antennae pale. Cauda
broadly rounded on apical side, often with 4-7 hairs and dusky but lighter than
siphunculi. Abdominal dorsum without any pigmentation.
Population I: (Brassica
compestris)
Aptera: length of body
2.3, width 1.41; antenna 1.22 segments III:IV:V:VI 0.37:0.18:0.15:(0.11+0.26);
u.r.s. 0.11; h.t.2 0.14; siphunculus
0.23, cauda 0.2.
Population II: (Coccinia
indica).
Aptera: length of body
1.65, width 1.09; antenna 1.66, segments III:IV:V:VI
0.35:0.25:0.23:(0.10+0.56); u.r.s. 0.10; h.t.2 0.11; siphunculus 0.25, cauda
0.17.
Population III: (Gossypium sp.)
Aptera: length of body
1.65, width 0.95; antenna 1.03, segments III:IV:V:VI
0.26:0.18:0.16:(0.10+0.22); u.r.s. 0.10; h.t.2 0.10; siphunculus 0.34, cauda 0.17.
Alata: Length of the
body 1.57, width 0.73; antenna 1.21, segments III:IV:V:VI
0.30:0.21:0.18:(0.13+0.26); u.r.s. 0.11; h.t.2 0.10; siphunculus 0.22; cauda
0.12.
Hosts: Brassica
compestris, Coriandrum sativum, Coccinia indica, Gossypium sp. and
plants belonging to the families Solanaceae, Cruciferae, Cucurbitaceae etc.
Seasonal
occurrence: Throughout
the year
Natural enemies: Coccinella
transversalis Fabricius
found on Aphis gossypii, an orange-red colored beetle having three
transverse bands on elytra. Adults and larvae feed on aphids. Uniformly distributed
throughout the country.
3.
Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe
(Fig.
4)
Aphis
nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1841, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr.,
10:179.
Material
examined: Two Alatoid nymphs and three Apterous on Calotropis sp.
from Aligarh and on Platycodon sp. (Balloon flower) from I.A.R.I.,
Delhi.
Distribution: All over India; Africa, America, Europe, Japan, Java, Korea,
Middle East and Taiwan.
Diagnostic
characters: Apterae of this species bright orange-yellow coloured with
black siphunculi and cauda; antennae and legs predominantly dark. Alatae yellow
in colour with dark wing veins and pigmented thorax. Antenna shorter than body,
apical sides of segments I and III dusky, segment II and apical side of II and apical side of IV and V and whole
VI dark. Siphunculi and cauda black; siphunculi longer than cauda, cauda with
9-18 hairs.
Aptera:length of body 2.34, width 1.4; antenna 1.71, segments III:IV:V:VI
0.46:0.30:0.25:(0.11+0.43); u.r.s. 0.18; h.t.2 0.11; siphunculus 0.6, cauda 0.28.
Alata:(From Lit.) Length of the body 2.25, width1.01; antenna 1.53, segments
III:IV:V:VI 0.44:0.34:0.26:(0.13+0.48); u.r.s.0.14; h.t.2 0.12; siphunculus
0.43; cauda 0.20.
Hosts: Calotropis sp., Platycodon sp.
Asclepias curassavica, etc.
Seasonal
occurrence: June-July and January-February
Natural
enemies: Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.), Coccinella
transversalis F. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).
Note: This is the first record from Aligarh region.
Genus RhopalosiphumKoch
Rhopalosiphum Koch, 1854, Die
pft. Aphiden. 1:23.
Type-species: Aphis
nymphae Linnaeus, 1761.
4. Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus)
(Fig. 5)
Aphis padi Linnaeus 1758, Syst.
Nat. (10 ed), 1:451.
Material
examined: Four
alatoid nymphs on Cynodon sp. from Aligarh and I.A.R.I. and on Andropogon
sp. from I.A.R.I. campus.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan.
Diagnostic
characters: Body
is oval, yellowish-green or olive green to greenish-black; often with
rust-coloured patches around the bases of siphunculi and on dorsum of abdomen.
Alatae have pale to dark green abdomen. Antennae shorter than body. Processus terminalis about three to four
times longer than the base of last antennal segment. Secondry rhinaria absent in aptarae, while present
in alatae forms, segment III with 16, IV with five and V with two secondary
rhinaria; fine hairs present on flagellum in both cases. Siphunculi longer than cauda. Cauda uniformly dark, but in black specimens,
paler at the base.
Aptera: length of body
2.10, width 1.30; antenna 1.45, segments III:IV:V:VI 0.32:0.17:0.22:(0.10+0.49);
u.r.s. 1.12; h.t.2 0.11; siphunculus
0.07, cauda 0.04.
Alata: Length of the
body 1.47, widh-0.84; antenna 1.18, segments III:IV:V:VI
0.30:0.14:0.14:(0.89+0.41); u.r.s.0.09; h.t.2 0.02; siphunculus 0.05; cauda
0.03.
Hosts: Plants
belonging to Acanthaceae, Canaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Oxalidaceae and
Polygonaceae.
Seasonal
occurrence: November-December.
Natural enemies: Coleoptera:
Coccinellidae: Cheilomenes sexmaculata (F.)
5. Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis (Sasaki)
(Fig. 6)
Toxoptera
rufiabdominalisSasaki, 1899, Rep. Hokkaido natr. Agric. Exp. Stn, 17:202
Material
examined: Four
Apterous and 10 nymphs on Sorghum sp. from Aligarh and I.A.R.I.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan.
Diagnostic
characters:Apterae light green to dark green with usually a reddish area at the posterior
end of abdomen between and around siphunculi. Alatae also similarly colored. Antennae very short almost half of the
body length. Processus terminalis 4-5
times longer than the base of last antennal segment. Secondary rhinaria absent in aptera. Abdominal dorsum covered with fine hairs,
well developed pattern of polygonal reticulation present on dorsum of apterae
and each polygon encloses a group of spinules. Siphunculi longer than cauda. Cauda lighter than Siphunculi in younger specimens but dark in
adults. Has only five-segmented
antennae; but the specimens studied had six segmented antennae.
Aptera: Length of body
1.87 width 1.09; antenna 0.95, Segments III:IV:V 0.30:0.14:(0.09+0.30); u.r.s
0.07; h.t.2 0.08; siphunculus 0.12; Cauda 0.15
Alata: (From Lit.)
Length of the body 2.34, width 1.23; antenna 1.42, segments III:IV:V
0.50:0.17:(0.10+0.53); u.r.s 0.13; h.t.2 0.10; siphunculus 0.06; cauda 0.03..
Hosts: Plants belonging
to Aroidae, Canaceae, Ericanaceae, Fagaceae, Poaceae, Liliaceae, Malvaceae,
Fabaceae, Rosaceae and Solanaceae.
Seasonal
occurrence: May-July,
September-November.
Natural enemies: Not found.
Conclusion
There are 36
genera and 58 species of aphids recorded from U.P. Most of them have been recorded from the
hills, now in Uttarakhand State. More
than 38 species of aphids are known from northeastern Uttar Pradesh (Singh et
al. 1999; Ahmad & Singh 2007). Data
is deficient in plains and hence this study. Five species belonging to two genera of the tribe Aphidini from I.A.R.I.
campus New Delhi, Aligarh and abutting remote areas are recorded. This is the first report from Aligarh region.
References
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