Yamatocallis tokyoensis (Cloudy-winged Japanese-maple aphid) identification, images, ecology, control

All adult viviparae of Yamatocallis tokyoensis are alate. These adults are pale green with brown head and thorax (but in spring the body is sometimes pinkish brown), with pale green or pale brown siphunculi. The head is provided with a few, rather long, hairs arising from very small tubercles. Antennal tubercles are distinct, but not large. Antennae are very long and slender, 1.3-1.8 times body length. Antennal segment I is much larger than II; and the terminal process is 1.6-2.1 times the base of antennal segment VI. Antennal segment III bears 6-16 elliptical secondary rhinaria, in a row on the basal 0.2-0.3; segment IV lacks rhinaria. The rostrum does not reach the middle coxae, and the apical rostral segment is 0.56-0.78 times as long as the second hind tarsal segment. The wings are rather narrow, with most of the forewing membrane infuscated except for the posterior margin (cf. Yamatocallis hirayamae, which has the forewing pigmented on the anterior half only). The fore and middle femora are dark brown, and darker than the hind femora (cf. Yamatocallis hirayamae, which have all femora pale brown). The siphunculi are bottle-shaped, about 1.8 times as long as the cauda, swollen about the middle, narrowed on the distal portion and at the base, and strongly bent inwards towards the apex. The cauda is knobbed, with 6-9 hairs. The body length of Yamatocallis tokyoensis alatae is 1.5-2.9 mm.

Yamatocallis tokyoensis (alate vivipara) on Acer in Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea; Doze

Image above copyright doze under a Creative Commons License.

Yamatocallis tokyoensis is monoecious on the leaves of maples (Acer spp.), especially Acer palmatum. Populations are holocyclic with sexual morphs occurring in November. The species is found in Japan and Korea.

Other aphids on the same host

Yamatocallis tokyoensis has been found on 4 Acer species (Acer buergerianum, Acer diabolicum, Acer japonicum, Acer palmatum).

Blackman & Eastop list 6 species of aphid as feeding on smooth Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) worldwide, and provide formal identification keys (Show World list). Of those aphid species, Baker (2015) lists 2 as occurring in Britain (Show British list).
Blackman & Eastop list 3 species of aphid as feeding on downy Japanese maple (= Fullmoon Maple, Acer japonicum) worldwide, and provide formal identification keys. (Show World list). Of those aphid species, Baker (2015) lists 1 as occurring in Britain: (Show British list).

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Doze for making his image of Yamatocallis tokyoensis available for use under a creative commons licence.
We have used the species accounts given by Takahashi (1923) and Sugimoto (2017), together with information from Roger Blackman & Victor Eastop in Aphids on Worlds Plants. We fully acknowledge these authors and those listed in the reference sections as the source for the (summarized) taxonomic information we have presented. Any errors in 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).

Useful weblinks

References

Sugimoto, S. (2017). Revision of the genus Yamatocallis Matsumura in Japan (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Insecta Matsumurana Series 73, 39-63. Full text
Takahashi, R. (1923). Aphididae of Formosa I Report of the Department of Agriculture Government Research Institute Formosa 4, 1-97 (p. 66) Full text

Yamatocallis tokyoensis

Cloudy-winged Japanese-maple aphid

Identification & Distribution

Other aphids on the same host

Acknowledgements

Useful weblinks

References