^Ije ^auailicui Jri^atomoloiibl. 



Vol. XLIX. LONDON, JANUARY, 1917 No. 1 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENUS SALTUSAPHIS. 

 (APHIDID^— HOM.). 



BY A. C. BAKER, WASHINGTON, D.C.* 



The genus Saltusaphis was erected by Theobald for his species 

 scirpus from Egypt. A study of a number of American species 

 found on sedges and in marshy localities indicates that there are at 

 least five species of this genus in America. Two of these have been 

 already described in other genera, viz., Brachycolus ballii Gill, 

 and Chaitophoriis flahelliis Sanb. 



Gillette (Ent. News, vol. XXII, p. 441) has also described an- 

 other species in the genus Brachycolus, but this species, trilici, 

 seems to be a typical member of the genus and closely related to 

 the type species, while hallii on the other hand is not. Flabellus, 

 while described as a ChaitopJiorus by Sanborn, has been re-described 

 by Gillette and placed in the genus Callipterus. The erection of 

 Theobald's genus leaves little doubt in regard to the true position of 

 flabellus. The genus may be defined as follows: 



Genus Saltusaphis. 



Body somewhat elongate; head large, eyes prominent, with- 

 out ocular tubercles. Thorax large with well-defined segments. 

 Antennae of six segments, usually as long as the body; legs with 

 the two anterior pairs of femora somewhat swollen. Cornicles 

 short and cup-shaped; cauda knobbed; anal plate widely bilobed, 

 posterior extremity of dorsum of abdomen sometimes indented, 

 often deeply so. Fore wing with the media twice branched, hind 

 wing with one oblique vein near its extremity. Wing veins usually 

 bordered with dusky brown; sexes apterous, living in marshy 

 regions, usually on sedges. 



The species of this genus present a very characteristic appear- 

 ance on their host plant. They lie closely appressed to the leaf 

 with their antennae stretched out parallel in front of the head. 

 When disturbed or alarmed they fall suddenly-, or spring from the 



* Published by permission of the Chief of the Bureau of Entomology. 



