Sipha species

Halbert, Susan E., Miller, Gary L. & Ames, Lisa M., 2013, The genus Sipha Passerini (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in North America, Insecta Mundi 2013 (326), pp. 1-6 : 2

Biology of Sipha species

During the growing season, all individuals are parthenogenetic females. They can be winged or wingless. Known males ( S. flava , S. elegans , and S. glyceriae ) are apterous (Blackman and Eastop 2006). Males of S. elegans are much darker and have longer appendages than other apterous forms. Oviparae, but not males, are known for S. agropyronensis ( Palmer 1952) . Males and oviparae of Sipha spp. with known holocycles occur in the fall on grasses and cereal crops. There is no known host alternation to a woody winter host. Fundatrices of S. elegans are similar to summer apterae. In the tropics and subtropics, anholocyclic parthenogenetic forms persist throughout the year. Curiously, laboratory cultures of S. elegans in Idaho required natural sunlight to grow (observation by SEH). Sipha flava cultures in Florida also required natural sunlight (Matthew Hentz, USDA/ARS, Ft. Pierce, FL, personal communication, by permission).

Species discussion