First report of Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (L.) (Hem.: Aphididae) on Azolla filiculoides from Iran and its male formation on secondary host plant

Abstract

To determine the effective bio-control agents of water fern, Azolla filiculoides, adults and nymphs of water lily aphid, Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae (L.), were collected on A. filiculoides in Guilan Province, Iran, during October 2013. This aphid has been collected extensively from almost all water fern samples during 2013 and 2014. Although R. nymphaeae was reported from numerous host plants in Iran, this species was collected for the first time from water fern. This aphid is heteroecious holocyclic with a sexual phase on Prunus spp., but it is the first report of its sexual phase formation on water fern as secondary host plant.

Keywords

• aphid
• rice
• water fern
• guilan