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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #306280

Title: National Plant Diagnostic Network, Taxonomic training videos: Aphids under the microscope - Cerataphis brasiliensis

Author
item Miller, Gary

Submitted to: World Wide Web
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/18/2014
Publication Date: 6/18/2014
Publication URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD4NqHQ_UT4
Citation: Miller, G.L. 2014. National Plant Diagnostic Network, Taxonomic training videos: Aphids under the microscope - Cerataphis brasiliensis. World Wide Web. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzXFRrkmqz8.

Interpretive Summary: Aphids are pests that feed on many of the world’s agriculturally important crops, trees, and ornamental plants and cause millions of dollars of damage annually. In addition to direct feeding damage, aphids are one of the most important insects in the role of transmission of plant diseases. Identification of these insect pests are paramount in both regulatory or biological control programs. This training video provides provides training to identify the aphid pest, the palm aphid, Cerataphis brasiliensis, using a high-powered microscope and an electronic identification key. The narrator discusses and highlights structures on the aphid that are important to make a species identification. This video will be of special interest to regulatory personnel at both the federal and state levels, academic teaching institutions, and insect taxonomists.

Technical Abstract: Training is a critical part of aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) identification. This video provides provides training to identify the palm aphid, Cerataphis brasiliensis, using a compound microscope and an electronic identification key called “LUCID.” The video demonstrates key morphological structures that can be used to make a species determination. This distance learning video is in support of the Enhanced Pest Identification and Technology effort (Farm Bill—H.R. 6124) and will be of special interest to regulatory personnel at both the federal and state levels, academic teaching institutions, and insect taxonomists.