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Title: AN EXAMINATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN APHID SPECIES CURRENTLY PLACED N OVATUS VAN DER GOOT, WITH A CLADISTIC TEST OF MONOPHYLY OF THE GENUS

Author
item Jensen, Andrew
item Stoetzel, Manya

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Aphids are one of the most important groups of pestiferous insects worldwide, damaging annual and perennial crops, ornamental plants, and forest trees. Information regarding most aphids is scatterd through older, obscure literature, which often contains mistakes and misidentifications. In the case of groups of aphids containing pest species, it is particularly important to place related species together to facilitate further study in areas such as biological control. This paper examines the North American species currently placed in a group of aphids known as the genus Ovatus. One of these species has a strong potential to emerge as a pest on a number of crops, especially in the western U.S.A. Four North American species are removed from Ovatus and returned to the next larger genus Myzus. All existing and some new information is compiled for each species, and illustrations are presented along with a key to separate the members of this group of closely related species. This information will be of use to insect identifiers and regulatory personnel and to scientists who work on control of pest aphids on U.S. crops.

Technical Abstract: The monophyly of the genus Ovatus van der Goot is tested using ten of the world's species, and the current placement of four endemic North American species is critically examined. Results of cladistic analyses clearly indicate that Ovatus does not constitute a monophyletic group, and that the four endemic North American species are better placed in Myzus Passerini. The four endemic North American species are transferred to Myzus on an interim basis, and information on each species is compiled and presented. Illustrations are provided, along with a key to the four North American species removed from Ovatus, and notes on the single remaining species of Ovatus in North America, Ovatus crataegarius (Walker).