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Aulacorthum linderaeBlood orange-blotched lindera aphidOn this page: Identification & Distribution Other aphids on the same hostIdentification & DistributionAdult apterae of Aulacorthum linderae are pale green to white or creamy, with red-brown to orange-yellow diffuse blotches around and between the bases of the siphunculi and a pair of faint pleural blotches on abdominal tergite II (cf. Aulacorthum muradachi, which has paired submarginal rows of red to reddish-brown patches from the mesonotum to abdominal tergite VI). The antennal tubercles are high and diverging at the inner sides. Their antennae are generally pale, except for segments III-V which are black at the apex and segment VI which is dusky. The antennae are 1.4-1.5 times as long as the body, with 2-6 secondary rhinaria in a line on segment III and a terminal process nearly 5 times as long as the base of VI. The longest hairs on segment III are 0.33-0.5 times the width of the segment at its mid-length. The rostrum reaches the hind coxae, with the apical rostral segment (RIV+V) 1.2-1.4 times as long as the second hind tarsal segment (HTII) (cf. Aulacorthum muradachi, which has RIV+V 0.9-1.0 times the length of HTII). The hairs on the tibiae are about as long as the middle width of the hind tibia. The abdominal tergum is rather weakly sclerotized, with no dark pigmentation and without marginal tubercles. The siphunculi are pale, and usually have dark tips (cf. Aulacorthum muradachi, which has completely dark sclerotic siphunculi). The siphunculi are tapering, imbricated, 11-13 times as long as wide at middle, about 3 times as long as the cauda, with a developed flange. The cauda is bluntly conical, less than twice as long as wide, with 6-8 hairs. The body length of the adult aptera is 2.0-2.2 mm.
Note: There may be more than one aphid species included under the name Aulacorthum linderae.
Images above by permission, copyright Akihide Koguchi, all rights reserved.
The alate Aulacorthum linderae (see picture below) is similar to the aptera, with dark-tipped pale siphunculi. It has faint dorsal bands on the abdomen, especially on the posterior part. Immature Aulacorthum linderae (see pictures above and below) have similar dorsal pattern of blotches to the apterae, but their blotches are pale orange.
Image above by permission, copyright Akihide Koguchi, all rights reserved. Aulacorthum linderae feeds on undersides of kuromoji leaves (Lindera sericea. Feeding by Aulacorthum linderae causes loose leaf-curl and reddish-brown blotches (Miyazaki, 1971). There is not thought to be any host alternation. The species has only been recorded in Japan. Other aphids on the same hostAulacorthum linderae has only been recorded on 1 species of spicebush (Lindera sericea). Blackman & Eastop list 1 species of aphid as feeding on Lindera sericea worldwide, and provide formal identification keys (Show World list). Of those aphid species, Baker (2015) lists none as occurring in Britain (Show British list).
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