First report of Myzus mumecola (Matsumura, 1917) in Europe

Abstract

During the spring of 2016, the aphid Myzus mumecola (Matsumura) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) was detected on its preferential host plant, Prunus armeniaca L. (Rosaceae), in Italy. This was the first record of the species in Europe. Several populations of the aphid have been collected in various apricot orchards in Emilia‐Romagna, in the localities of Imola, Campiano, Cesena and Castiglione di Cervia. The species is considered to be an apricot pest in India and East Asia. Details on the morphology, biology and distribution of this aphid species and the damage it causes are given.

Apricot aphid, Myzus mumecola (Matsumura), a new and important pest of apricot in Hungary

“…The cauda is short and triangular, and the siphunculi are cylindrical, about 7 times longer than their width (Fig. 1a) (Panini et al 2017). On the mounted specimens, key morphological characters of M. mumecola are clearly discernible: M. mumecola differs from Phorodon humuli Schrank in the lack of the finger-like processes on the antennal tubercles (Fig.…”

“…The morphological identification was supported by the sequence analysis of the DNA mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI fragment) barcode (Hebert et al 2003;Panini et al 2017). Six aphid individuals (one specimen per site) were sequenced from the samples collected for morphological identification.…”

“…Apterous (wingless) M. mumecola individuals in life are medium-sized (2-2.4 mm) (Panini et al 2017), pale green in colour with pale cauda and siphunculi. The cauda is short and triangular, and the siphunculi are cylindrical, about 7 times longer than their width (Fig.…”

“…On the other hand, from the West Palearctic Region, the Hyalopterus pruni species complex, Myzus persicae Sulzer and Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae L. have been most commonly reported to form large colonies on apricot trees (Blackman and Eastop, 1984;Mosco et al 1997;Lozier et al 2008;Rakauskas et al 2013). In Italy, Panini et al (2017) recorded the appearance and rapid spread of an aphid species on apricot, which was identified as Myzus mumecola (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a new aphid species for Europe. Myzus mumecola originates from Eastern Asia where its main host plant is Prunus mume Siebold (Blackman and Eastop, 1984).…”

New records of an alien aphid species Tinocallis (Sappocallis) takachihoensis from countries in central and northern Europe (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Calaphidinae)

“…Of the approximately 1590 aphid species described or recorded from Europe (Nieto Nafría et al 2013) to date, approximately 103 species are known to be of an alien origin from North America and Asia (Coeur d’acier et al 2010, Pérez Hidalgo et al 2011; Rakauskas 2011; Panini et al 2017). The area of Poland is one of the best recognised in terms of aphid fauna in Europe with 766 recorded species and subspecies (Wojciechowski et al 2015; Kanturski et al 2017) to date.…”