Aphis hyperici Monell

Lagos, Doris M., Puttler, Benjamin, Voegtlin, David J. & Giordano, Rosanna, 2012, A new species of Aphis (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Missouri on St. John’s Wort, Hypericum kalmianum, and re-description of Aphis hyperici Monell, Zootaxa 3478, pp. 81-92 : 88-90

Aphis hyperici Monell in Riley and Monell, 1879

Myzocallis hyperici Thomas, 1879

Diagnosis: Alatae with secondary sensoria in straight line on antennal segments III, IV, V. Cauda tapering or finger shaped. Apterae with or without marginal tubercles on abdominal segments I and VII. Cauda elongate tongueshaped. Alatae and apterae with short ultimate rostral segment (0.06–0.08 mm) and siphunculi (0.04–0.06 mm). Material examined:

See table 2 for morphological measurements of the five morphs of A. hyperici .

Apterous vivipara (n=15) ( Figure 5 ). Color in life: Head brownish. Thorax and abdomen reddish, dorsum heavily covered with wax. Antennae and legs white to yellowish ( Figure 8 B). Color on slide and morphological characters: Head: dusky and smooth. Frons with 2 filiform setae. Antennal tubercle weakly developed. Antennae six-segmented, shorter than body, without secondary sensoria. First segment dusky, and the other segments pale. Rostrum reaches mesocoxae, ultimate segment with 2 accessory setae. Thorax: Prothorax: coxae dusky, trochanters and femora pale. Meso and metathorax: coxae, trochanters and femora dusky. Tibiae and tarsi all dusky. Abdomen: Cauda dusky, tapering, with 6–10 setae. Siphunculi dusky, smooth,without flange. Pre-siphuncular and postsiphuncular sclerites absent. Marginal tubercles on abdominal segments I and VII should be present in all specimens as this is a key character of the genus Aphis ; however, they are present on segment I in only 27% and on segment VII in only 87% of our specimens. Marginal tubercles are absent from abdominal segments II, III, and IV. Dorsum of abdomen without sclerites. Abdominal tergite VIII with 2–4 setae. Sub-genital plate dusky, complete, with 2 setae on anterior part. Cuticle without reticulation.

Alate vivipara (n=36) ( Figure 6 ). Color in life: Head and thorax brownish. Abdomen reddish, dorsum covered with thick segmental bands of wax. Antennae and legs white to yellowish. Wings yellowish, transparent ( Figure 8 B). Color on slide and morphological characters: Head: Dark. Frons with 2 filiform setae, Antennal tubercle undeveloped. Antennae six segmented, shorter than body. Segment I dark, and the other antennal segments dusky. Secondary sensoria present and more or less in a line on antennal segments III, IV, and V. Rostrum reaches mesocoxae, ultimate segment with 2 accessory setae. Thorax: Coxae dark. Trochanters paler than coxae. Profemora slightly dusky throughout, meso and metafemora dark throughout except on the base. Tibiae slightly dusky, darkening near distal tip. Tarsi dusky. Abdomen: Cauda dusky, finger shape to slightly tapering with 6–9 setae. Siphunculi dark, smooth without flange. Marginal sclerites pale. Pre and post-siphuncular sclerites absent. Marginal tubercles on I (94 % presence) and VII (100% presence). Marginal tubercles absent from abdominal II, III, and IV. Dorsum of abdomen with large transverse sclerite on VIII. Sub-genital plate dusky and complete with 1–4 setae on anterior part. Cuticle without reticulation.

Apterous fundatrix (n=6) ( Figure 7 A). Color on slide and morphological characters: As apterous vivipara except for following: Head: Antenna five-segmented. Antennal segments: first dark, last dusky, and the other segments pale. Thorax: Coxae dark, trochanters pale or dusky. Fore femora pale, mid-femora dusky except on the base and hind femora dark except at base. Tibiae pale. Tarsi dusky. Abdomen: Cauda dark, tongue shaped to slightly tapering. Siphunculi dark. Marginal tubercles: Only 33% present with marginal tubercle on I and 100% present marginal tubercle on VII.

Apterous ovipara (n=13) ( Figure 7 B). Color in life: Color on slide and morphological characters: Head: Dark without frontal setae. Antennal tubercle undeveloped. Antennae five-segmented, shorter than body. One specimen with six antennal segments but otherwise morphologically similar. Antennal segments: first dark, second dusky, third pale, and the rest of segments dusky. Rostrum reaches mesocoxae. Thorax: Coxae dark. Trochanters dusky or dark. Fore femora dusky throughout, mid-femora dusky except at base, hind femora dark except at base. Tibia and tarsi dusky or dark throughout. Abdomen: Cauda dusky, parallel-sided with blunt tip and bearing 6–10 setae. Siphunculi dark, smooth without flange. Pre-siphuncular and post-siphuncular sclerites absent. Marginal tubercles present on I and VII in all specimens. Marginal tubercles absent from abdominal segments II, III, and IV. Dorsum of abdomen without sclerites. Abdominal tergite VIII with 5–8 setae. Sub-genital plate dark, divided, with 10–17 setae on anterior part. Cuticle without reticulation.

Alate male (n=1) ( Figure 7 C). Color in life: Color on slide and morphological characters: As alate viviparae except for following: Head: Antennae with secondary rhinaria scattered on segments III, IV, and V. Abdomen: Cauda dusky, tapering with 6 setae. Marginal tubercle absent from abdominal segment I and present on VII. Dorsum of abdomen without large transverse sclerite on VIII. Male genitalia with 2 short claspers anteriorly and aedeagus centrally.

Biology. A. hyperici is holocyclic and monoecious on Hypericum prolificum and H. kalmianum in mid-western USA, with fundatrices in March-April and oviparae in October-November. The single alate male was collected in mid-October.

Material studied: 2 Apterous viviparae, 21,310–21,311, 3 mi E. Eddyville, Pope Co., IL, 3.v.1980, on Hypericum prolificum, D. Voegtlin ; 2 apterous viviparae, 21,312, 3 mi E. Eddyville, Pope Co., IL, 25.v.1980, on H. prolificum, D. Voegtlin ; 1 alate viviparous, 7 apterous viviparae, 21,313–21,316, Tower Rock Trail, Apple R. Cannyon, S. P., Jo Daviess Co., IL, 21.vii.1980, on Hypericum spp, D. Voegtlin; 11 apterous oviparae, Eddyville, Pope Co., IL, 25.xi.1980, on H. prolificum, D. Voegtlin ; 1 apterous oviparae, 1 alatae male, Eddyville, Pope Co., IL, 12.x.1982, on H. prolificum, S. Sandberg & D. Voegtlin ; 6 alate viviparae, 1 apterous viviparous, 21,331–21,334, 2 mi S. E. Eddyville, Pope Co., IL, 25.iv.1987, on H. prolificum, D. Voegtlin ; 1 alate viviparous, 5 apterous viviparae, 237,992–237,993, Univ. of Missouri-Columbia, 38.9073°N – 92.2805°W, Boone County, MO, 1.vii.2005, on H. kalmianum, B. Puttler ; 5 apterous fundatrices, 237,988, 238,013, Univ. of Missouri-Columbia, 38.9073°N – 92.2805°W, Boone County, MO, 1.iii.2007, on H. kalmianum, B. Puttler ; 28 alate viviparous, 1 fundatrix, 238,004–238,011, 238,014–238,018, Univ. of Missouri-Columbia, 38.9073°N – 92.2805°W, Boone County, MO, 17.iv.2007, on H. kalmianum, B. Puttler ; 2 apterous viviparous, 3 apterous oviparae, 237,989–237,991, Univ. of Missouri-Columbia, 38.9073°N – 92.2805°W, Boone County, MO, 1.xii.2006, on H. kalmianum, B. Puttler. All specimens in U.S. Illinois Natural History Survey ( INHS) Insect Collection.

Discussion: The very short flangeless siphunculi and inconsistency in the presence of marginal tubercles on abdominal segments I and VII had created confusion about the generic status of this species. Monell (Riley and Monell, 1879) described Aphis hyperici from Hypericum kalmianum and later that year Thomas described specimens collected from Hypericum prolificum as Myzocallis hypeici (misspelling of hyperici ). Hottes and Frison (1931) located two of Thomas’ specimens and, after examining them, declared them a synonym of Monell’s species but placed hyperici into the genus Hyalopterus . It was later placed into Brachysiphum by Eastop and Hille Ris Lambers (1976) then moved back to Aphis by Remaudiere and Remaudiere (1997). The phylogenetic trees built with COI and Elongation factor nuclear gene presented in figures 3 and 4 support the placement of this species in Aphis with close relationship to a clade that includes A. fabae and A. pulchella . This species belongs to the genus Aphis subgenus Aphis sensu stricto.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Apterous vivipara of A. hyperici (A) body, (B) second and third antennal segments, (C) ultimate rostral segment, (D) first abdominal segment without tubercle (E) cauda, (F) siphunculus and seventh marginal tubercle, (G) hind tibia and tarsus.

FIGURE 6. Alate vivipara of A. hyperici (A) body, (B) second and third antennal segments, (C) ultimate rostral segment, (D) coxa and first marginal tubercle, (E) cauda, (F) siphunculus and seventh marginal tubercle, (G) hind tibia and tarsus, (H) Antennal segments II – VI.

FIGURE 7. Aphis hyperici. (A) fundatrix, (B) apterous ovipara, (C) alate male.

FIGURE 8. Colonies of aphids on Hypericum spp. A. A. mizzou n. sp. on H. kalmianum, B. A. hyperici on H. kalmianum (photos by C. J. Starbuck), C. A. hypericiphaga on H. perforatum (photo by H. Kim).