Ephedraphis Hille Ris Lambers

Zhang, Bin & Qiao, Gexia, 2013, Ephedraphis Hille Ris Lambers (Hemiptera: Aphididae), with a key to species and one new species from Mongolia, Zootaxa 3669 (4), pp. 585-596 : 586-591

Ephedraphis Hille Ris Lambers

Ephedraphis Hille Ris Lambers, 1959: 279 . Type-species Anuraphis ephedrae Nevsky , by original designation. Ephedraphis Hille Ris Lambers : Szelegiewicz 1963:125; Eastop 1979: 384, 386; Remaudière & Remaudière 1997: 57; Qiao & Zhang 2002: 544; Qiao, Jiang & Zhang 2006: 105; Blackman & Eastop 2006: 1154.

Diagnosis. Apterous viviparous female: Body small, slender, 1.6–2.4 mm long and 1.0– 1.3 mm wide. Median frontal tubercle and antennal tubercles developed, front shallowly “W-”shaped. Rostrum rostrate with microtrichia covering surface. First tarsal chaetotaxy 3, 3, 3. Antennae usually 6-segmented, processus terminalis longer, about 1.2–2.6 times as long as base of the segment. Siphunculi short to long cylindrical -shaped, about 1.3–2.3 times as long as cauda. Cauda usually short tongue-shaped, occasionally taper-shaped, rarely elongated, with 5–8 short setae on apex. Genital plate transversely oval, with 2–3 anterior setae and 8–27 posterior setae.

Alate viviparous female: Antennal segment III with 9–13 small and round secondary rhinaria, other segments without secondary rhinaria.

Remarks. This genus is related to Aphis Linnaeus , but differs in having rostrum rostrate bearing apical microtrichia, cauda usually short and small with sparse setae, and first tarsal chaetotaxy 3, 3, 3.

Distribution. Central Asia, East Asia, Middle East and Europe.

Host plants. Ephedra spp. ( Ephedraceae ), and Haloxylon ammodendron Bunge ( Chenopodiaceae ).

Key to species of Ephedraphis — apterous viviparous females

1. Cauda ( Figures 16 , 38 ) taper-shaped, distinctly elongated, 1.5–2 times as long as its basal width; siphunculi long, 1.4–1.6 times as long as cauda................................................................................ E. gobica

- Cauda short tongue-shaped, slightly longer than a half of its basal width; siphunculi long, about 2 times as long as cauda... 2

2. Median frontal tubercle ( Figures 3 , 27 ) poorly developed, antennal tubercles slightly developed; abdominal tergite VIII with 2 setae....................................................................................... E. ephedrae

- Median frontal tubercle and antennal tubercles well developed; abdominal tergite VIII with 4–6 setae, occasionally 2 or 3... 3

3. Median frontal tubercle ( Figures 43 , 52 ) slightly higher than antennal tubercles; processus terminalis ( Figure 54 ) 1.4–1.8 times as long as base of the segment; siphunculi ( Figures 46 , 59 ) short and small, only 1.1–1.6 times as long as their basal diameter, 1.3–1.9 times as long as cauda; genital plate ( Figures 51 , 61 ) with 8–12 posterior setae............... E. mongolica sp. n.

- Median frontal tubercle ( Figures 21 , 29 ) slightly lower than antennal tubercles; processus terminalis ( Figure 32 ) 1.2–1.4 times as long as base of the segment; siphunculi long ( Figures 24 , 34 ) about 1.8–2.1 times as long as their basal diameter, 1.7–2.4 times as long as cauda; genital plate ( Figures 26 , 41 ) with 17–27 posterior setae.......................... E. haloxylon

Ephedraphis ephedrae (Nevsky) ( Figures 1 – 9 , 27, 30, 33, 36, 39 ) Diagnosis. Apterous viviparous female. Median frontal tubercle ( Figures 3 , 27 ) poorly developed, antennal tubercles slightly developed, slightly higher than median frontal tubercle. Processus terminalis ( Figure 30 ) 1.6–1.8 times as long as base of segment. Siphunculi ( Figures 6 , 33 ) long cylindrical-shaped, 1.2–1.4 times as long as its basal diameter, apical width 0.3–0.4 times as long as basal width, 2 – 2.3 times as long as cauda. Cauda ( Figures 7 , 36 ) short tongue-shaped, constricted at base, 0.5–0.6 times as long as basal width. Genital plate ( Figures 8 , 39 ) with 12–14 posterior setae distributed in two groups on posterior margin.

Alate viviparous female. Antennal segment III ( Figure 9 ) with 12–13 small and round secondary rhinaria, other segments without secondary rhinaria.

Specimens examined. PAKISTAN: Mariltan, altitude 2800 m, 1 alate viviparous female and 3 apterous viviparous females, on Ephedra sp., 14.viii.1991, coll. G. Remaudière.

Distribution. India, Iran, France, Kazakhstan, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan (Map 1).

Remark. This is a very widely distributed species in the Palaearctic region (from western Europe to central Asia). E. ephedrae resembles E. haloxylon morphologically, but differs in having median frontal tubercle poorly developed ( E. haloxylon : median frontal tubercle well developed); processus terminalis 1.6–1.8 times as long as base of the segment ( E. haloxylon : 1.2–1.4 times); siphunculi 1.2–1.4 times as long as its basal diameter ( E. haloxylon : 1.8–2.1 times) and genital plate with 12–14 posterior setae, and distributed in two groups on posterior margin ( E. haloxylon : genital plate with 17–27 posterior setae, uniformly distributed on posterior margin).

Ephedraphis gobica Szelegiewicz ( Figures 10 – 18 , 28, 31, 35, 38, 40 )

Ephedraphis gobica Szelegiewicz, 1963: 125 .

Ephedraphis gobica Szelegiewicz : Remaudière & Remaudière 1997: 57; Kadyrbekov 2002: 16; Qiao & Zhang 2002: 545; Qiao, Jiang & Zhang 2006: 105; Blackman & Eastop 2006: 1154.

Diagnosis. Apterous viviparous female. Median frontal tubercle ( Figures 12 , 28 ) slightly developed, antennal tubercles well developed, slightly higher than median frontal tubercle. Processus terminalis ( Figure 31 ) 2.5 times as long as base of the segment. Siphunculi ( Figures 15 , 35 ) long, cylindrical, 4.7–5.1 times as long as its basal width, 1.41–1.61 times as long as cauda. Cauda ( Figures 16 , 38 ) elongated, finger-shaped, distal part stout, basal 1/3 slightly constricted, 1.6–1.7 times as long as its basal width.

Alate viviparous female. Antennal segment III ( Figure 18 ) with 9–11 small and round secondary rhinaria, other segments without secondary rhinaria.

Specimens examined. CHINA, Ningxia: Yanchi, on Ephedra sinica , 4 alate viviparous females, 4 apterous viviparous females and 3 alate nymphs, No. Y 8324, 20.v.1998, coll. C. X. Yang; on Ephedra sinica, Yinchuan , 2 alate viviparous females and 4 apterous viviparous females, No. Y 8499, 12.vi.2001, coll. J. Chen, 5 apterous viviparous females and 1 alate viviparous female, No. Y 8569, 20.v.2001, coll. Y. W. Chen.

Distribution. China: Ningxia (Yanchi, Yinchuan), Xinjiang; Mongolia (Saynshand) (Map 1).

Remark. This species is distributed in Northern China and Mongolia. It can be distinguished from other species of Ephedraphis by the siphunculi and cauda strongly elongated, lateral margin of cauda with 8 long setae, and genital plate with sparse setae.

Ephedraphis haloxylon Qiao, Jiang & Zhang ( Figures 19–26 , 29, 32, 34, 37, 41 )

Ephedraphis haloxylon Qiao, Jiang & Zhang, 2006: 107 .

Diagnosis. Median frontal tubercle ( Figures 21 , 29 ) slightly developed, antennal tubercles developed, slightly higher than median frontal tubercle. Processus terminalis ( Figure 32 ) 1.2–1.4 times as long as base of the segment. Abdominal tergite VIII with 4–6 setae. Siphunculus ( Figures 24 , 34 ) 1.8–2.1 times as long as its basal diameter, 1.7–2.4 times as long as cauda; genital plate ( Figures 26 , 41 ) with 18–22 posterior setae, uniformly distributed on posterior margin.

Specimens examined. CHINA, Qinghai: Dagur, 7 apterous viviparous female and 2 apterous nymphs No. 11411-1- 1-2, 10.vi.1997, on Haloxylon ammodendron ( Chenopodiaceae ), coll. X. L. Chen; on Haloxylon ammodendron, Golmud, 3 apterous viviparous females and 4 nymphs, No. 11418, 17.vi.1997, coll. X. L. Chen.

Distribution. China: Qinghai (Dagur, Golmud) (Map 1).

Remark. E. haloxylon is similar to E. mongolica sp. n., but can easily be distinguished by characters given in the above key.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 18. Ephedraphis gobica. Apterous viviparous female: 10. Body; 11. Antenna; 12. Dorsal view of head; 13. Ultimate rostral segment; 14. Mesosternal furca; 15. Siphunculus; 16. Cauda; 17. Genital plate; Alate viviparous female: 18. Antennal segments I – III.

FIGURES 27 – 41. Apterous viviparous female: 27 – 29. Dorsal view of head; 30 – 32. Processus terminalis, 33 – 35. Siphunculus, 36 – 38 Cauda, 39 – 41, Genital plate. Ephedraphis ephedrae: 27, 30, 33, 36, 39; Ephedraphis gobica: 28, 31, 35, 38, 40; Ephedraphis haloxylon: 29, 32, 34, 37, 41.

FIGURES 1 – 9. Ephedraphis ephedrae. Apterous viviparous female: 1. Body; 2. Antenna; 3. Dorsal view of head; 4. Ultimate rostral segment; 5. Mesosternal furca; 6. Siphunculus; 7. Cauda; 8. Genital plate; 16. Dorsal view of head; Alate viviparous female: 9. Antennal segments I – III.

FIGURES 42 – 51. Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n. Apterous viviparous female: 42. Body; 43. Dorsal view of head; 44. Antenna; 45. Ultimate rostral segment; 46. Siphunculus; 47. Mesosternal furca; 48. Dorsal setae on abdominal tergite VIII; 49. Cauda; 50. Intersegmental sclerite; 51. Genital plate.

FIGURES 52 – 61. Ephedraphis mongolica sp. n. Apterous viviparous female: 52. Dorsal view of head; 53. Antenna; 54. Processus terminalis; 55. Ultimate rostral segment; 56. Mesosternal furca; 57. Intersegmental sclerite; 58. Dorsal setae on abdominal tergite VIII; 59. Siphunculus; 60. Cauda; 61 Genital plate.

FIGURES 19 – 26. Ephedraphis haloxylon. Apterous viviparous female: 19. Body; 20. Antenna; 21. Dorsal view of head; 22. Ultimate rostral segment; 23. Mesosternal furca; 24. Siphunculus; 25. Cauda; 26. Genital plate.