Cotton Aphid

Aphis gossypii

Classification

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aphis gossypii: /ˈeɪfɪs ˌɡɒsiˈpiːaɪ/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Aphis gossypii apterous vivipara apex by Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker Museum Victoria. Used under a CC BY 3.0 au license.
Aphis gossypii by 서홍렬. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Aphis gossypii apterous vivipara rostrum by Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker Museum Victoria. Used under a CC BY 3.0 au license.
Aphis gossypii apterous vivipara head profile by Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker Museum Victoria. Used under a CC BY 3.0 au license.
Aphis gossypii apterous vivipara cauda and siphunculi by Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker Museum Victoria. Used under a CC BY 3.0 au license.
Aphis gossypii apterous vivipara cauda by Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker Museum Victoria. Used under a CC BY 3.0 au license.

Summary

Aphis gossypii, or the cotton aphid, is a significant agricultural pest that infests a wide range of plants, particularly crops in various families. It is characterized by its small, green, sap-sucking body and can produce large populations rapidly under favorable conditions. Its feeding can lead to plant damage and virus transmission, making it an important target for pest management.

Physical Characteristics

Wingless female has an ovoid body about 2 mm long, varying shades of green; yellow legs and antennae; black apices on femora, tibia and tarsi; cylindrical black siphunculi. The winged female has a fusiform body, black head and thorax, yellowish-green abdomen with black lateral spots. Nymphs vary in color (green, tan, gray) and are usually dull with wax secretions. Eggs are yellow when laid, turning glossy black shortly after.

Identification Tips

Look for small green insects on the undersides of leaves, often causing distortion and curling of foliage. Presence of honeydew and sooty moulds on leaves can indicate their presence.

Habitat

Found in tropical and temperate regions worldwide; thrives outdoors in southern Europe, survives under glass in northern Europe.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan; common in North and South America, Central Asia, Africa, Australia, Brazil, East Indies, Mexico, Hawaii, and most of Europe, up to 54°N in the former Soviet Union.

Diet

Sucks sap from a wide variety of plants, particularly belonging to Cucurbitaceae, Rutaceae, and Malvaceae families.

Life Cycle

Parthenogenic females can produce up to 85 nymphs in about 20 days. Nymphs mature in about 20 days at 10 °C and in four days at 30 °C. In warmer climates, sexual reproduction is less common; in cooler regions, it involves seasonal migrations and overwintering eggs.

Reproduction

Primarily asexual reproduction in favorable conditions; sexual reproduction occurs in northern regions involving two host plants, leading to the laying of eggs that overwinter.

Predators

Midges, lacewings, syrphid fly larvae, anthocorid bugs, ladybirds, parasitoid wasps such as Aphelinus asychis.

Ecosystem Role

Pest in agricultural ecosystems, affecting crop yield and quality; acts as a vector for various plant viruses.

Economic Impact

Considered a major agricultural pest, harming vegetable crops (e.g., courgette, melon) and others (e.g., cotton, citrus).

Collecting Methods

  • Sweep netting
  • Visual inspection of host plants

Preservation Methods

  • Alcohol preservation
  • Slide mounting

Similar Taxa

  • Aphids
  • Greenflies
  • Plant sap-sucking insects

Misconceptions

Often mistaken for other aphid species due to similar morphology; not all aphids cause significant harm to all plants they infest.

Tags

  • Aphis gossypii
  • Cotton aphid
  • Melon aphid
  • Agricultural pest
  • Hemiptera