Neomasonaphis rhododendris Chakrabarti, Mandal & Raha 1983

Victor, Eastop, F. & Blackman, Roger L., 2005, Some new synonyms in Aphididae (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha), Zootaxa 1089, pp. 1-36 : 17

Neomasonaphis rhododendris Chakrabarti, Mandal & Raha 1983 = Ericolophium holsti (Takahashi 1935)

In the key to Himalayan Rhododendron ­feeding aphids by Chakrabarti et al. (1983), Neomasonaphis rhododendris is distinguished from Ericolophium holsti , described from Rhododendron in Taiwan, by first tarsal segments with 5 hairs (allegedly 4 in holsti , although 5 in the original description), last rostral segment with 18–20 accessory hairs (allegedly 10–12 in holsti , although not mentioned in original description) and faintly papillate (as opposed to papillate) tergum. We have been unable to distinguish paratype apterae of rhododendris , and other apterae from India in the BNMH colln (leg. D Hille Ris Lambers) previously identified as holsti , from the original description of holsti . Two alatae of holsti from Taiwan (leg. R Takahashi ) differ from a paratype alata of rhododendris only in presence of a few rhinaria on antennal segment IV and a somewhat longer, thinner cauda.