Subsaltusaphis picta

Identification & Distribution:

Adult apterae of Subsaltusaphis picta are whitish yellow to orange-yellow (see pictures below), with variably developed longitudinal dark markings and tranverse dark intersegmental muscle sclerites (cf. Subsaltusaphis flava which has no trace of dark longitudinal lines). Some or all of the dorsal hairs on the head, thorax and abdomen are modified into the shape of an everted umbrella -these microchaetae have also been described as 'acacia-tree-shaped' or 'mushroom-shaped' (cf Thripsaphis spp. which have all their dorsal body hairs thorn-like or very fine). The antennae are black beyond the basal half of the third segment, and the third antennal segment is 1.2-1.5 times the length of the sixth antennal segment (terminal process + base together). The variably developed longitudinal dark markings are less dark than the dark tranverse intersegmental muscle sclerites and there is often a trace of a darker spinal stripe (cf. Subsaltusaphis ornata which has clearly defined pleural longitudinal dark stripes that are almost as dark as the intersegmental markings and are on either side of a very pale spinal region with no trace of a spinal stripe). The body length of the adult Subsaltusaphis picta aptera is 2.4-3.0 mm.

Subsaltusaphis picta alatae have a large dark lobed spinopleural plate on abdominal segments III-V, dark marginal sclerites and 11-16 secondary rhinaria on the third antennal segment.

The painted sedge aphid lives on sedge (Carex sp.) and sometimes also on club rush (Scirpus) growing at the edge of water. Sexual forms have been recorded in autumn. Subsaltusaphis picta is widely distributed in Europe , and is also found in Kazakhstan and east Siberia.

Other aphids on same host:

• Blackman & Eastop list about 110 species of aphids as feeding on sedges worldwide, and provide formal identification keys for aphids on Carex (Show World list). (Show British list).

• Blackman & Eastop list at least 27 species of aphids as feeding on club rush worldwide, and provide formal identification keys for aphids on Scirpus (Show World list). Of those, Baker (2015) lists 17 aphid species as occurring in Britain (Show British list).

Acknowledgements Our particular thanks to Thomas Legrand and Poul Ulrik for their images of Subsaltusaphis picta, and to Poul Ulrik for sending us a sample. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that identifications are correct, we cannot absolutely warranty their accuracy. We have mostly made identifications from high resolution photos of living specimens, along with host plant identity. In the great majority of cases, identifications have been confirmed by microscopic examination of preserved specimens. We have used the keys and species accounts of Blackman & Eastop (1994) and Blackman & Eastop (2006) supplemented with Blackman (1974), Stroyan (1977), Stroyan (1984), Blackman & Eastop (1984), Heie (1980-1995), Dixon & Thieme (2007) and Blackman (2010). We fully acknowledge these authors as the source for the (summarized) taxonomic information we have presented. Any errors in identification or information are ours alone, and we would be very grateful for any corrections. For assistance on the terms used for aphid morphology we suggest the figure provided by Blackman & Eastop (2006).

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