Uroleucon (Uromelan) compositae (Theobald, 1915)

Mehrparvar, Mohsen & Mirtadzadini, Mansour, 2024, Aphids associated with Carthamus in Iran with the description of the hitherto unknown male of Uroleucon carthami (Hille Ris Lambers, 1948) (Hemi.: Aphididae), Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 10 (3), pp. 467-483 : 475

Uroleucon (Uromelan) compositae (Theobald, 1915)

Apterae display a glossy, very dark red to almost black colour, featuring black siphunculi and cauda, with a body length ranging from 1.9 to 4.1 mm. These aphids are commonly found on flower stems and, in limited numbers, along the mid-ribs of leaves, predominantly on a diverse array of Asteraceae in tropical and subtropical climates. Particularly, they inhabit plants growing in moist or shady conditions towards the end of the dry season. Notably, this species acts as a pest of cultivated safflower i.e. Carthamus tinctorius in India ( Blackman & Eastop 2000). Occasionally, it is observed on non-composite plants such as Malva and Morus . Its distribution spans across Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and it has also been recorded in Sicily, Türkiye, Iran, Réunion, Mauritius, Taiwan, and South America ( Blackman & Eastop, 2024). In Iran, this aphis has been reported in some provinces including Alborz, Gilan, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Markazi, Mazandaran and Tehran ( Mehrparvar, 2024a).

Material. Not examined.