64 
Psyche 
[September 
MUSCLE VARIATIONS IN THE TIBIA OF SEVERAL 
SPECIES OF APHIDS 
By Forrest W. Miller 
Department of Zoology, University of Pittsburgh 
Uichanco 1 , who has studied the muscles and movement of 
the tarsus of Myzus persicx, states that there is a single 
extensor muscle which moves the tarsus. He concludes 
that this condition holds for all species of aphids. Weber 2 
reviews the same idea set forth by Uichanco and also gives 
this condition as generally occurring among the aphids. 
A study of several species of aphids shows that there are 
some variations from the above stated generality. This 
variation occurs in the number of extensor muscles and, 
where there is a single muscle, within the muscle itself. 
In all the species used for study, several specimens were 
stained with eosin and mounted in balsam, others were un- 
stained and mounted in euparol. With both of these meth- 
ods the muscles show up very well after the specimen has 
cleared. Both alate and apterous forms were included in 
the study. Examination of mounted material was made 
under the high power of the microscope (440x) , and of live 
material under the binocular microscope (50x) . 
The following species were examined : Aphis sambuci- 
folii, Aphis rumicis, Aphis feminea, Amphorophora cos - 
mopolitania, Eriosoma lanigerum, Drepanaphis aceri folii, 
Colopha ulmicola, Macrosiphum granarium and Schizoneura 
americana. 
All of these species are characterized by the absence of 
the flexor muscle 3 . In none of them was the writer able to 
Uichanco, L. Muscles and Movement of Tarsus of Aphids. Psyche, 
Vol. 28, 1921. 
2 Weber, H. Biologic der Hemipteren. Springer, Berlin, 1930. 
3 The muscles and the parts of the legs are named with respect to the 
appendage when in its natural position. 
