Rhopalosiphina

Mordvilko, 1914

Genus Guides

Hyalopterus(Mealy Plum-Reed Aphids)
Hysteroneura(Plum-grass Aphids)
Melanaphis(sugarcane aphid)
Pseudasiphonaphis
Rhopalosiphum(Cherry-Grass Aphids)
Schizaphis(Grass Aphids)

Rhopalosiphina is a subtribe of aphids (Aphididae: Aphidinae) established by Mordvilko in 1914. It includes the Schizaphis and related . A 2018 study of New Zealand revealed exceptionally high mitochondrial diversity within this group, with up to five distinct lineages identified from plants Aciphylla and Dracophyllum.

Hysteroneura setariae by no rights reserved, uploaded by Jesse Rorabaugh. Used under a CC0 license.

Aphis spiraecola by no rights reserved, uploaded by Jesse Rorabaugh. Used under a CC0 license.

Aphis varians by (c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jared Shorma. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Rhopalosiphina: //ˌroʊpəloʊˈsɪfɪnə//

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

Identification

Members of this subtribe can be distinguished from other Aphidini by morphological characters associated with the Schizaphis and related genera. The New Zealand lineages show significant genetic divergence in COI sequences, with from different plants and geographic regions forming distinct clusters.

Images

Distribution

New Zealand; the subtribe has a broader global distribution but the referenced study focuses on New Zealand .

Host Associations

Aciphylla - plant New Zealand lineage
Dracophyllum - plant New Zealand lineage with geographic structuring between Taranaki, Mt Lyford, and South Island main divide
Clematis - plantAssociated with newly discovered Aphis
Hebe - plantAssociated with newly discovered Aphis

Similar Taxa

AphidinaOther subtribe of Aphidini; New Zealand Rhopalosiphina show higher inter- genetic variation than seen in studies of Aphidinae and other New Zealand Aphidina

More Details

Genetic diversity

GMYC analyses of COI sequences indicated up to five distinct lineages of Schizaphis in New Zealand, with two co-occurring lineages found on Aciphylla at some sites. Two aphids from central North Island Dracophyllum represented a highly diverged lineage without clear affiliations to other New Zealand Schizaphis.

Geographic structure

Within Dracophyllum-associated , geography played an apparent role in genetic structuring, with Taranaki (North Island) and Mt Lyford (South Island) populations being divergent from those on the South Island main divide.