Aphididae
Encyclopedia
Aphididae is a very large insect
family
in the aphid
superfamily
(Aphidoidea), of the order
Hemiptera
. There are several thousand species
in this family
, many of which are well known for being serious plant pests. They are also the family of insects containing most plant virus vectors (around 200 known) with the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae
) being one of the most prevalent and indiscriminate carriers.
about , but the Aphidinae which comprises about half of the 4700 described species and genera of aphids alive today come from their most recent radiation which occurred in the late Tertiary less than .
s, projecting from the posterior of the abdomen
. Wings are not always present; winged morphs are called "alate
s", while wingless morphs are known as "apterous". The forewings of Aphididae alates are dotted with 4 to 6 veins below the darkened stigma
. They all have very small eyes, sucking mouthparts and fairly long antenna
e.
These insects are very small (a few millimeters in length), so small that they can be transported by wind through fairly long distances. They are often green, but might be red or brown as well. They move quite slowly and cannot jump or hop.
Aphids excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew
, because the plant sap from which they feed contains excess carbohydrates relative to its low protein content. To satisfy their protein needs, they absorb large amounts of sap and excrete the excess carbohydrates. Honeydew is used as food by ant
s, honeybees and many other insects. A common misconception is that honeydew is secreted through the cornicles.
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Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
in the aphid
Aphid
Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies or whiteflies, are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions...
superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
(Aphidoidea), of the order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Hemiptera
Hemiptera
Hemiptera is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs , comprising around 50,000–80,000 species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others...
. There are several thousand species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in this family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
, many of which are well known for being serious plant pests. They are also the family of insects containing most plant virus vectors (around 200 known) with the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae
Myzus persicae
Myzus persicae, known as the green peach aphid, is a small green aphid. It is the most significant aphid pest of peach trees, causing decreased growth, shriveling of the leaves and the death of various tissues...
) being one of the most prevalent and indiscriminate carriers.
Evolution
Aphids originated in the late CretaceousCretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
about , but the Aphidinae which comprises about half of the 4700 described species and genera of aphids alive today come from their most recent radiation which occurred in the late Tertiary less than .
Characteristics
Members of the Aphididae are soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects called aphids, as are other members of the super-family Aphidoidea. Most of them have a pair of little tubes, called cornicleCornicle
The cornicle is one of a pair of small upright backward-pointing tubes found on the dorsal side of the last segment of the bodies of aphids. They are sometimes mistaken for cerci...
s, projecting from the posterior of the abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
. Wings are not always present; winged morphs are called "alate
Alate
An alate is a winged reproductive of a social insect . Alate females are typically those destined to become queens , whereas alate males are occasionally referred to as "drones"...
s", while wingless morphs are known as "apterous". The forewings of Aphididae alates are dotted with 4 to 6 veins below the darkened stigma
Spiracle
Spiracles are openings on the surface of some animals that usually lead to respiratory systems.-Vertebrates:The spiracle is a small hole behind each eye that opens to the mouth in some fishes. In the primitive jawless fish the first gill opening immediately behind the mouth is essentially similar...
. They all have very small eyes, sucking mouthparts and fairly long antenna
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
e.
These insects are very small (a few millimeters in length), so small that they can be transported by wind through fairly long distances. They are often green, but might be red or brown as well. They move quite slowly and cannot jump or hop.
Aphids excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew
Honeydew (secretion)
Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky liquid, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap. When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the gut's terminal opening. Honeydew is particularly common as a secretion in the Hemipteran...
, because the plant sap from which they feed contains excess carbohydrates relative to its low protein content. To satisfy their protein needs, they absorb large amounts of sap and excrete the excess carbohydrates. Honeydew is used as food by ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s, honeybees and many other insects. A common misconception is that honeydew is secreted through the cornicles.
Genera
- Acyrthosiphon
- Allocotaphis
- Amphorophora
- Anoecia
- Anuraphis
- Aphidounguis
- Aphidura
- AphisAphisAphis may refer to:* Aphis, a genus of aphid species* Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service , organizational unit of the USDA* HMS Aphis , Royal Navy insect class gunboat...
- Asiphonaphis
- Astegopteryx
- Aulacorthum
- Betacallis
- Betulaphis
- Boernerina
- Brachycaudus
- Brachycolus
- Brachycorynella
- Brachysiphoniella
- BrevicoryneBrevicoryneBrevicoryne is a genus of aphid insect that contains many insects which are agricultural pests.-Hosts:This genus parasitizes a wide range of hosts, with many members of the Brassicaceae included.-Adults:...
- Brevisiphonaphis
- Calaphis
- Callipterinella
- Callipterus
- Capitophorus
- Cavariella
- Cerataphis
- Ceratovacuna
- Cervaphis
- Chaetomyzus
- Chaetosiphon
- Chaitophorus
- Chaitoregma
- Chromaphis
- Cinara
- Clethrobius
- Clydesmithia
- ColoradoaColoradoa (insect)Coloradoa is a genus of aphids, in the order Hemiptera. There are eight species in this genus....
- Cornaphis
- Cryptomyzus
- Crypturaphis
- Doralis
- Doraphis
- Drepanaphis
- Drepanosiphoniella
- Drepanosiphum
- Dysaphis
- Eomacrosiphum
- Epipemphigus
- Ericolophium
- Eriosoma
- Essigella
- Euceraphis
- Eulachnus
- Eumyzus
- Eutrichosiphum
- Fimbriaphis
- Forda
- Fullawaya
- Geopemphigus
- Glyphina
- Gootiella
- Greenidea
- Grylloprociphilus
- Hamamelistes
- Hannabura
- Hayhurstia
- Hormaphis
- Hyadaphis
- Hyalomyzus
- Hyalopterus
- Hyperomyza
- Hyperomyzus
- Hysteroneura
- Illinoia
- Indiaphis
- Indomasonaphis
- Ipuka
- Kakimia
- Lachnus
- Laingia
- Lambersaphis
- Latgerina
- Lipaphis
- Longicaudus
- Longistigma
- Macromyzus
- Macrosiphoniella
- MacrosiphumMacrosiphumMacrosiphum is a genus of aphid....
- Maculolachnus
- Masonaphis
- Matsumuraja
- MegouraMegouraMegoura is a genus of aphid....
- Melanaphis
- Melanocallis
- Mermitelocerus
- Mesocallis
- Metopeurum
- Metopolophium
- Micromyzodium
- Micromyzus
- Microsiphum
- Mimeuria
- Mollitrichosiphum
- Monaphis
- Monellia
- Mordvilkoja
- Mutillaphis
- Myzaphis
- Myzocallis
- Myzus
- Nagoura
- Nearctaphis
- Neoacyrthosiphon
- Neobetulaphis
- Neocranaphis
- Neomyzus
- Neopemphigus
- Neophyllaphis
- Neoprociphilus
- Neopterocomma
- Neotoxoptera
- Neuquenaphis
- Nippolachnus
- Nipponaphis
- Oestlundiella
- Orygia
- Ovatus
- Pachypappa
- Pachypappella
- Paducia
- Panaphis
- Paoliella
- Paracolopha
- Paramoritziella
- Paraprociphilus
- Patchiella
- Pemphigus
- Pentalonia
- Pergandeida
- Periphyllus
- Phloeomyzus
- Phorodon
- Phyllaphis
- Platyaphis
- Pleotrichophorus
- Plocamaphis
- Prociphilus
- Protrama
- Pseudaphis
- Pseudasiphonaphis
- Pseudocercidis
- Pseudopterocomma
- Pseudoregma
- Pterocallis
- Pterochloroides
- Pterocomma
- Pyrolachnus
- Radisectaphis
- Reticulaphis
- Rhodobium
- Rhopalosiphoninus
- RhopalosiphumRhopalosiphumRhopalosiphum is a genus of aphid of the family Aphididae that includes 16 species worldwide. In addition to direct behavior as pests on host plants, some species are vectors for viral pathogens.-Species:Species include:...
- Sanbornia
- Sappaphis
- Schizaphis
- Schizolachnus
- Schizoneurella
- Schoutedenia
- Semiaphis
- Shenahweum
- Shizaphis
- Sinomegoura
- Sitobion
- Stomaphis
- Symydobius
- Takecallis
- Taoia
- Taxodium
- Tetraneura
- Thecabius
- Therioaphis
- Thoracaphis
- Tinocallis
- Tinocalloides
- Toxoptera
- TramaTrama (genus)Trama is a genus of aphids, in the order Hemiptera....
- Trichaitophorus
- Trifidaphis
- Tuberocephalus
- Tuberolachnus
- Tubicauda
- Uroleucon
- Vesiculaphis
- Wahlgreniella
- Yamatocallis
- Yamatochaitophorus
See also
External links
on the UFUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
/ IFAS
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
Featured Creatures Web site
- Aphis gossypii, melon or cotton aphid
- Aphis nerii, oleander aphid
- Hyadaphis coriandri, corianderaphid
- Longistigma caryae, giant bark aphid
- Myzus persicae, green peach aphid
- Sarucallis kahawaluokalani, crapemyrtle aphid
- Schizaphis graminum, greenbug
- Shivaphis celti, an Asian woolly hackberry aphid
- Sipha flava, yellow sugarcane aphid
- Toxoptera citricida, brown citrus aphid