Abstract:

This study aimed to reveal the diversity of aphid species and aphid-plant interactions adjacent to Çardak Lagoon, which is close to agricultural areas in Çanakkale Province of Turkey. Twenty-seven aphid species belonging to 17 genera in three subfamilies from the Aphididae (Hemiptera) were identified. Of these, Staticobium latifoliae (Bozhko, 1950) is new record from the genus Staticobium Mordvilko, 1914 and Aphis symphyti Schrank, 1801 are new records for the aphid fauna of Turkey. With these new records, the number of the aphid fauna of Turkey has increased to 596 species from 149 genera in the infraorder Aphidomorpha (Hemiptera). Of the hosts, Geranium pusillum L., Geranium columbinum L. (Geraniaceae), Anagallis arvensis L. (Primulaceae), Polygonum maritimum L. (Polygonaceae), Myosotis sp. (Boraginaceae), Anthriscus caucalis M. Bieb. (Apiaceae), Raphanus raphanistrum L. (Brassicaceae), Anthemis sp. (Asteraceae) and Silene sp. (Caryophyllaceae) are new hosts for the aphids in Turkey, respectively. Results of this detailed study conducted adjacent to the lagoon which has a diversity of hosts native to saline and sandy soils for the first time in Turkey provides important data on the diversity of aphids and the interactions with their hosts, and that this data will contribute a better understanding of aphid-plant interactions in agricultural and non-agricultural habitats as well as the biology and control strategies of host-alternate aphid pests.

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