Aphis (Aphis) parietariae Theobald, 1923

Zanfelici, Luiz Fernando Gonçalves & Murányi, Dávid, 2023, Four new species of aphids (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae) for the Hungarian fauna, Ecologica Montenegrina 63, pp. 96-104 : 97

Aphis (Aphis) parietariae Theobald, 1923

( Figs 1–7 )

Material: Hungary, Budapest, District I, Gellért hill, park pathway in rocky forest, Parietaria officinalis L., 140 m a.s.l., N 47.48930° E 19.04596°, leg. A. & D. Murányi, 26.xi.2017, oviparous apterous females, larvae, eggs ; Hungary, Budapest, District XIX, Endresz György street, garden, Parietaria officinalis L., 120 m a.s.l., N 47.44512° E 19.15150°, leg. J. Kontschán, 1.vi.2018, viviparous apterous females, larvae ; Hungary, Pest county, Visegrádi Mts, Pilisszentlászló , oak forest, Parietaria officinalis L., 335 m a.s.l., N 47.74961° E 18.99458°, leg. A. & D. Murányi, 24.ix.2022, viviparous apterous females, larvae, alate larva, mummies of apterae ; Hungary, Fejér county, Vértes Mts, Csákvár, Haraszt-hegy , deciduous forest, Parietaria officinalis L., 225 m a.s.l., N 47.38918° E 18.43812°, leg. J. Kontschán, D. Murányi, 30.v.2018, viviparous apterous females .

Diagnosis. Medium-sized, dark green Aphis with hints of light grey wax, dorsal abdomen without distinct dark markings, antennal tubercles undeveloped; siphunculi black, length 1.2–1.3 × cauda; cauda with 8–10 hairs; R IV+V 1.4–1.5 × HT II; antennal PT/BASE 4.2; antennal segment III with longest hairs 0.4–0.6 of its width.

Distribution and ecology. Widespread West Palaearctic species, in Central Europe it was known from Romania and Slovakia. Holocyclic and monoecious on Parietaria species, it presents dense colonies on stems, under the leaves and on inflorescences; ovipara and fundatrix unknown; presents apterous males. In Hungary, there was no aphid record from pellitory-of-the-wall. All other aphids known from pellitories are polyphagous ( Blackman & Eastop 2023). The Hungarian specimens of A. parietariae were collected from pellitory-of-the-wall growing in different habitats, ranging from natural forests to civil gardens (where it was a weed). The colonies were attended by ants, but mummies in the Pilisszentlászló population indicate Aphidiinae parasitoids. The colonies occupied stems and inflorescences, rarely leaves. No alates were found, but one alate larva in September. The Gellért hill population was collected in late November, and the pellitories were with many eggs attached to the stem and inflorescences, however, the apterous specimens collected are probably not true oviparae since tibiae are not swollen, and the abdomen is not extended. Dransfield & Brightwell (2023) reported apterae collected in January that as well seem to be vivipara instead of ovipara, suggesting anholocyclic development besides their usual holocycle.

Figures

Figures 1–7. Distinctive characters, habitus and habitat of Aphis (Aphis) parietariae Theobald, 1923 — 1: siphunculi of aptera; 2: cauda of aptera; 3: terminal antennal segment of aptera; 4: colony on the stem and inflorescences; 5: infected Parietaria officinalis L.; 6: apterae on the stem; 7: yellowish fresh, and blackish older eggs on the stem and inflorescens — 1–3: Csákvár; 4–5: Pilisszentlászló; 6–7: Gellért hill.