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Prociphilus osmanthaeOsmanthus gall aphidOn this page: Identification & Distribution Other aphids on the same hostIdentification & DistributionProciphilus osmanthae live in curled-leaf pseudogalls on Osmanthus. The leaves are rolled downwards at right angles to their midribs (see pictures below of galled leaves).
Images above copyright Dr László Érsek, all rights reserved. Like other species of the genus, Prociphilus osmanthae has well developed wax gland plates on the back of the head, thorax and abdomen which secrete white wax fibres. The wax covers both immature and adult aphids and the interior of the pseudogalls (see first picture below). The adult apterae (see second picture below) have the head, thorax, antennae and legs dark gray and the abdomen greyish-green. The antennae are 5-segmented, shorter than the body, with the terminal process short, 0.19-0.23 times as long as segment V. The apical rostral segment (RIV+V) is 0.61-0.86 times the length of the second hind tarsal segment (HTII) (but see Note below). The siphunculi are very small, reduced almost to a pore. The cauda is broadly rounded. Ripka (2020) et al. obtained a mean of 1.77 mm. (s.d. 0.3) for the body length of adult apterae. Note: Ghosh (1984) gives RIV+V as being 1.26 times as long as HTII, a much larger ratio than the value for Japanese specimens. Blackman noted in Aphids on World's Plants that some of the forms in India described under this name may not be Prociphilus osmanthae, but misidentifications of similar species such as Prociphilus ligustrifoliae.
Images above copyright Dr László Érsek, all rights reserved. Alatae of Prociphilus osmanthae (not pictured) developing in spring colonies on Osmanthus spp. have a wax-covered olive-green abdomen. Their wings are infuscated along the costal margin and at the base and the forewing veins are narrowly dark-bordered (Essig & Kuwana, 1918). There are 27-31 secondary rhinaria on segment III, 9-12, on segment IV, 8-12 on segment V and 0 on segment VI. The body length of alatae is reported to be 3.3-4.0 mm. In their native Japan Prociphilus osmanthae migrate in late May from Osmanthus (Osmanthus spp.) to an unknown secondary host. The species is found in Japan, and is also reported to occur in Meghalaya, India. Prociphilus osmanthae has recently been introduced to Hungary (Ripka et al., 2020). Other aphids on the same hostProciphilus osmanthae has previously been recorded on 3 species of Osmanthus (Osmanthus aquifolius, Osmanthus aurantiacus, Osmanthus heterophyllus), but with these records we can now add the garden variety Osmanthus x burkwoodii (Osmanthus delavayi x Osmanthus decorus). Blackman & Eastop list 3 species of aphid as feeding on Osmanthus species 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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