Symydobius
Mordvilko, 1894
Species Guides
1- Symydobius americanus(Dark birch aphid)
Symydobius is a of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the tribe Calaphidini. occur in Europe and North America, with at least two described species: S. alniarius and S. americanus. The genus is associated with birch (Betula) . Symydobius oblongus exhibits behavioral coordination with attending ants, specifically Formica lugubris.



Pronunciation
How to pronounce Symydobius: //sɪˈmɪd.oʊ.bi.əs//
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Images
Habitat
Associated with birch trees (Betula ), including paper birch (Betula papyrifera).
Distribution
Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and North America.
Diet
Phloem-feeding on birch (Betula); specific dietary details otherwise unknown.
Host Associations
- Betula - plant-level association; S. americanus specifically documented on Betula papyrifera
- Betula papyrifera - plantDocumented for S. americanus
- Formica lugubris - mutualistAttending for S. oblongus; exhibits behavioral coordination with this
Behavior
S. oblongus has been observed to exhibit behavioral coordination with its attending Formica lugubris.
More Details
Taxonomic Note
Symydobius oblongus was classified under Callaphidae in older literature, but this is now treated as a synonym of Aphididae.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Performance of Symydobius americanus (Homoptera: Aphididae) on paper birch grazed by caterpillars
- Behavioural coordination between an aphis (Symydobius oblongus von Heyden; Hemiptera: Callaphidae) and the ant that attends it (Formica lugubris Zetterstedt; Hymenoptera: Formicidae): An ethological analysis