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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297193
Title: The genus Sipha in North America

Author
item HALBERT, S. - Florida State Department Of Agriculture
item Miller, Gary
item AMES, L. - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Insecta Mundi
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/7/2013
Publication Date: 10/25/2013
Citation: Halbert, S.E., Miller, G.L., Ames, L.M. 2013. The genus Sipha in North America. Insecta Mundi. 0326:1-6.

Interpretive Summary: Aphids are pests that feed on many of the world’s agriculturally important crops, trees, and ornamental plants and worldwide cause billions 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 is paramount in both quarantine or biological control programs. This research concentrates on the aphid genus Sipha in North America. The paper provides information on Sipha distribution (including new range extensions), morphology, host plant damage, photographs of the different species, and a key for species identification. This work will be of special interest to quarantine personnel at both the federal and state levels, academic teaching institutions, and insect taxonomists.

Technical Abstract: Five species of the aphid genus Sipha are reported in North America and are reviewed herein. Of these species, three are adventive: Sipha elegans del Guercio, Sipha glyceriae (Kaltenbach), and Sipha maydis Passerini. Sipha maydis was discovered in California in 2007 and now has been found in Georgia. The genus also includes two native species: Sipha agropyronensis (Gillette) and Sipha flava (Forbes). Sipha maydis can be distinguished easily from all the other species in the genus that occur in North America because it is black. All the species except S. agropyronensis have been implicated in damage to crop plants. A key to the apterae and alatae of Sipha found in North America is included.