InfluentialPoints.comBiology, images, analysis, design...
| Aphids | Find them | How to ID | AphidBlog |
| InfluentialPoints.com Biology, images, analysis, design... |
|
"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important" |
|
|
Braggia deserticolaCalifornian buckwheat aphidOn this page: Identification & Distribution Other aphids on the same hostIdentification & DistributionAdult apterae of Braggia deserticola (see first picture below) have the head, prothorax and tergite VIII wax-dusted; abdominal tergite I has reticulations lightly bordered with secreted wax, but the remaining tergites are shining dark brown (cf. Braggia eriogoni, which has much of the dorsum covered with wax-bordered reticulations). The antennae are about 0.62-0.67 times body length. They are mainly dusky or dark, but the basal 0.2-0.5 of segment III is transparent to yellowish. The legs are mostly dark pigmented, but sometimes with part of the tibiae and fore femora rather pale to yellowish. Marginal tubercles on abdominal tergite VII are normally absent (cf. Braggia eriogoni, which has marginal tubercles on tergite VII). Dorsal hairs are short & inconspicuous, at most equal to the basal diameter of antennal segment III (cf. Braggia eriogoni, which has dorsal hairs mainly longer than the basal diameter of antennal segment III). The siphunculi are volcano-shaped to strongly tapering, and are very short, at most about as long as their basal widths (cf. Braggia eriogoni and Braggia urovaneta, which have siphunculi longer than their basal width). The cauda is black, half as long as its basal width, with 7-11, rather inconspicuous hairs. The body length of adult Braggia deserticola apterae is 1.1-1.8 mm. Immatures (some visible in the second picture below) are deep chestnut brown, and are wax dusted.
Images above copyright Jesse Rorabaugh under a public domain (CCO) licence. The alate Braggia deserticola is black dorsally, and greyish ventrally. The antennae have only the very base of segment III somewhat transparent; segment III bears 9-16 flattish secondary rhinaria, IV has 3-6 rhinaria, & V has 0-4. The abdomen has rather large, darkish, marginal sclerites, pleural intersegmental sclerites, some poorly defined spinal sclerites on tergites III-V and rather narrow dusky bars across tergites VI, VII, & VIII. The siphunculi are much less tapering and much narrower at base than in apterae. The cauda is slightly narrower than in apterae.
First image above copyright Jesse Rorabaugh under a public domain (CCO) licence. Hille Ris Lambers (1966) recognised two subspecies of Braggia deserticola, based primarily on leg colour, albeit Pike (2009) noted that further justification of these subspecies is required.
Hille Ris Lambers (1966) found Braggia deserticola in small numbers in flowerheads of California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum, and Eriogonum fasciculatum subsp. polifolium) (see last picture above for hostplant). He notes that Braggia eriogoni was also present, often in larger numbers, on the same plants, but could be easily distinguished from Braggia deserticola because of its waxiness. Colonies are not attended by ants. This is a southern species being found in southern California & Utah in the USA, and in Mexico. Other aphids on the same hostBraggia deserticola has been recorded on 1 wild buckwheat species (Eriogonum fasciculatum).
|
