How Stomaphis aphids use their giant proboscides

ABSTRACT

To penetrate tree bark, arboreal aphids of the genus Stomaphis Walk. (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) have proboscides up to three times their body length. Our observations of S. quercus (L.) complement a recent analysis of the anatomy and function of these mouthparts by clarifying how these relatively short-legged aphids move their proboscides between the resting position, pointing back, and the prognathous working position. The absence of crumenae in Stomaphis aphids and their feeding technique are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Hemiptera
• Sternorrhyncha
• feeding
• behaviour
• anatomy
• mouthparts

Acknowledgements

We thank Piotr Węgierek, Jolanta Brożek, Łukasz Depa and the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on the original version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was not supported by any funding sources.