1918.] BASHAMBAR Das: The Aphididae of Lahore. 213 
(3) Cauda ensiform, black,' bearing very nearly the same ratio in length to 
the cornicles ; that is a little more than its half. 
(4) Pupae in all the species have rows of white spots and develop yellow or 
orange pigment upon the anterior abdominal segments. 
(5) In alate females the pattern consists of similar lines and spots. 
Not only can these species subsist on a great variety of different plants, but 
their size and colour is also subject to many variations. This is responsible for the 
considerable amount of confusion that prevails in their synonymy in the West. 
No satisfactory diagnoses are available, and the same insect has been described by 
different authors under several names because of the once current idea that each 
plant had its own peculiar Aphid. 
After making extensive collections of these insects in many parts of India I have 
- exchanged them for other Asian, American and European specimens, and have also 
carried out a number of ‘‘ pure culture’’ experiments by isolating single individuals 
on plants in chimney pots and watching their progeny. As a result of this I am 
able to distinguish four distinct species recognised by their structure under the 
microscope, and I believe them to be as follows :— 
(A) Sensoria present on both III and IV antennal articles .. (x) À. durranti, sp. nov. 
(Isolated on Durranta and Colocasta). 
Sensoria present only on III. (B). 
(B) Spur of VI much longer than III, roughly in the ratio of 3 
to 2 2 Mi a + .. (2) À. malvae (Koch). 
(Isolated on Cucurbitaceae). 
Spur of VI slightly longer or subequal to III. (C). 
(C) Sensoria on III, 6-8, not quite in one line; a large species ; 
antenna more than I mm.; cornicles about ‘20 mm. .. (3) A. gossypii (Glover). 
(Isolated on Balsam; Capsella ; Cryptostegia, etc.). 
(D) Sensoria on III, 4-6, all in one line; a small insect; antenna 
less than I mm.; cornicles about ‘15 mm. or less .. (4) A. malvoides, sp. nov. 
(Isolated on Malvestrum, Chrysanthemum, etc.). 
Aphis malvae (Koch). 
Synonym.—A. cucurbiti (Buck.) ? (Brit. Aph., vol. II). 
This Aphid we have found chiefly on Cucurbitaceae, but it attacks an extremely 
large number of other plants as well. The same is said of it in other parts of the 
world also. ' 
Afterous viviparous female.—They vary in colour from green to lemon-yellow. 
For some time the progeny of the yellow form remain yellow, but when the colony 
increases the young often develop into green. The offspring of the green form may 
similarly be quite yellow. 
The green colour begins to invade the abdomen from the cornicular region and 
| [The cauda is not black in all the species belonging to the malviform group. In Aphis malvae, 
for instance, the colour of the cauda varies from light yellowish to dark green or dusky green, but is 
never blackish. P. v. d. G.]. 
