Puant Lice InjuRING FOLIAGE AND FRUIT OF THE APPLE 719 
SYNONYMY 
The synonymy of Aphis sorbi is in a rather chaotic condition. Since 
‘Sanderson’s work in 1901 and 1902, the species has been generally known 
as Aphis sorbi Kaltenbach, altho a few workers have doubted the correct- 
ness of this view. Recently Baker and Turner (1916 b), after an exami- 
nation of European specimens of Aphis sorbi taken on Sorbus spp. in the 
same region as the original material, concluded that the American 
species is distinct and should be known as Aphis malifoliae Fitch. Their 
conclusions do not seem to the writer to be well founded. They admit 
the almost exact identity of the European and American specimens, 
both in color markings and in morphological characters. The only 
characters they use in making their separation in the wingless forms are 
the relative lengths of the cornicles and antennal segments, and the size 
of the lateral tubercles. In the winged forms the only characters used are 
the relative lengths of the antennal segments. In support of these views 
Baker and Turner give two tables of measurements, one of four individuals 
and the other of six, taken at random. These tables show a relatively 
small, tho apparently definite, variation in length. However, on con- 
sulting the body of the work the variation in the lengths of these same 
characters is found to be much greater and to overlap very considerably 
for the two species. Before these characters can be given weight, it 
should be shown that in a long series of measurements the means for 
Aphis sorbi Kalt. and Aphis malifoliae Fitch are distinct and do not 
completely overlap. Furthermore, the lengths of antennal segments and 
cornicles in aphids have, to say the least, been shown to be poor morpho- 
logical characters on which to base specific determinations, unless coupled 
with other marked differences. 
From a careful reading of the literature and from the considerations 
just mentioned, the author is not prepared to accept the conclusions 
of Baker and Turner. 
Recently Theobald (1916) also has attempted to untangle the synonymy 
of this species, and he concludes that it should be known as Aphis kochii 
Schouteden. Aphis kochiit was the name given by Schouteden (1903) 
to Aphis pyrt Koch, as the name pyri had already been preoccupied 
by Boyer de Fonscolombe (1841). Koch’s (1854-57) description of this 
species does not agree with the species Aphis sora Kalt., and the writer 
is convinced that the latter should stand as a distinct species, for the 
