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"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important" |
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Macchiatiella itadoriTiger aphid, Sacaline aphidOn this page: Identification & Distribution Other aphids on the same hostIdentification & DistributionAdult apterae of Macchiatiella itadori are yellow, brownish yellow or green with a large shiny black dorsal abdominal patch (cf. Macchiatiella rhamni, which has no large black dorsal abdominal patch). Their eyes are dark brown. The antennal tubercles are smooth and divergent. The antennae, which are longer than the body, are greenish yellow apart from segments I & II, the apical 70% of III, the apical half of IV, the apical third of V, and all VI, which are blackish. Antennal segment III bears 3-7 circular secondary rhinaria in a row at the basal part of the joint. The rostrum reaches somewhat beyond the third coxae, and the apical rostral segment is 1.15-1.28 times the length of the second hind tarsal segment. The abdomen has a large blackish patch occupying the larger part of the dorsum, with no marginal spots. The femora, tibiae and tarsi are yellowish with dark brown apices. The siphunculi are black (cf. Macchiatiella rhamni, which has pale siphunculi). Macchiatiella itadori apterae are of moderate length, cylindrical, imbricated, and slightly broadening towards the base. The cauda and anal plate are much reduced to a small broadly rounded structure, its length less than 0.5 times its basal width, with several long stout hairs.
Images above by permission, copyright Akihide Koguchi, all rights reserved. Alate Macchiatiella itadori (not pictured) are yellowish or greenish with the wing veins and pterostigma brownish, and the third oblique of the fore-wing slightly clouded. The antennae are longer than the body, with 39-52 irregularly sized secondary rhinaria, not in a regular row, over the whole length of segment III; 5-14 scattered on the middle of segment IV and 0-3 on segment V. The abdomen has a large blackish area at the middle of the dorsum, and three pairs of marginal sclerites on the segments. Macchiatiella itadori is thought to host alternate from buckthorn (Rhamnus) as its primary host to knotweed (Polygonum spp.) as its secondary host. Note however, that this host alternation has yet to be confirmed experimentally. This aphid occurs in spring in large colonies on the leaves, tender shoots and hard stems of Rhamnus japonica, causing a considerable curl of the foliage (Hori, 1927). The first generation is wingless, but from the second generation apterae and alatae develop. Emigrant alatae are then thought to establish colonies on knotweed. In the autumn there is a return migration, males and oviparae appear about the middle of September. After mating the oviparae lay the overwintering eggs. Other aphids on the same hostPrimary hostMacchiatiella itadori has been recorded on 2 buckthorn species (Rhamnus japonica, Rhamnus purshiana), and also from Rhamnella franguloides.
Secondary hostMacchiatiella itadori has been recorded on 1 knotweed species (Polygonum divaricatum).
Macchiatiella itadori has been recorded on 2 Fallopia species (Fallopia japonica =Polygonum cuspidatum, Fallopia sachalinensis =Polygonum sacchalinensis).
Macchiatiella itadori has been recorded on 1 Fagopyrum species (Fagopyrum esculentum =Polygonum esculentum).
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