Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016

ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in

Taxonomic Study of Cecidomyiid, Endaphis

aphidimyza (Cecidomyiidae: Diptera) form
Chitrakoot (MP) India
Manoj Kumar1 and Ramesh Chandra2
1

P.G. Department of Zoology, D.D.P.G.U. P.G College, Murlipur, Ghantampur, Kanpur

Department of Biological Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya University,
Chitrakoot, Satna (MP)

ABSTRACT :
Endaphis aphidimyza is an
endoparasitoid of safflower aphid. It is used as
biocontrol agent of aphid. It was described by
Shivpuje and Raodeo in 1985 in Inda. Shivepuje
and Raodeo provided the taxonomic characters of
this endoparasitoid gall midge in very short. The
present study was carried out in the Reseach
laboratory of Zoology, Mahatma Gandhi
Chitrakoot
Gramodaya
Vishwavidyalaya,
Chitrakoot, Satna (MP) and found variation in the
structure of adult's gall midges as compared with
Shivpuje and Raodeo findings.
INTRODUCTION
Aphidophagous cecidomyiids, Endaphis
aphidimyza is a member of phylum arthopoda,
class insect, order dipteral and family
ceciomyiidae. It is an endoparasite of aphid of
safflower and Niger crops. The female Endaphis
aphidimyza lays orange coloured eggs on the lower
surface of the leaf, stem and tender branches of the
plant among the aphid colony. After hatching, first
instar larva catches holds of the leg joint by its
strong mandibles and enters into the aphids
abdomen through the leg and body joint, inter
segmental membrane or near the cornicles and feed
contents of the hosts abdomen, especially eggs.
The parasitized aphids become sterile and fail to
reproduce. The larval stages are completed inside
the aphids body. The original black colour of
aphid changes into reddishorange due to the
presence of the larva inside the body. The fully
developed final instar larva cuts a hole near the
cornicles and jumps on the soil for pupation.
The name of this endoparasitoid was given
by Kieffer in 1896 on aphid, Drepanosiphum
platanoides Schrank. Shivpuje and Raodeo (1985)
described a new species of this genus as Endaphis
aphidimyza in India from the aphid, Dactynotus
sonchii. Grover and Kashyap (1986) revised the
Genus Endaphis. Tang et al., 1994 described the

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taxonomic characters of Endaphis maculans.

Muratori et al., 2009 also described a new species
of Endaphis i.e. Endaphis fugitiva from the banana
aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Adult male and female flies of Endaphis
aphidimyza was collected for the identification
during the egg-laying and at the resting on the
twigs of the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)
and transferred in to specimen tubes containing
70% alcohol with two drops of glycerine for the
preservation. Tubes containing above collections
were sealed with wax and stored into the dust proof
plastic containers. Before preservation the colour of
adult midge was recorded. The photographs were
taken for the record because the materials loss their
original colour in the alcohol.
The cecidomyiids are small and soft
bodied insects. They were preserved for two to four
weeks. Collected materials were mounted on
microscopic slides for the study of structure in
following steps:
(a)

The material was dehydrated with a

series of alcohol grades i.e. first
treated in 90% alcohol for 15 minutes
and then it was transferred into
absolute alcohol for 10 minutes and
then it was transferred in few drops of
Xylol for 5 minute.

(b)

After 5 minute material

transferred in a drop of DPX.

(c)

The head, wing and remaining part of

the body mounted under cover slip
and the genitalia mounted under a
separate small piece of cover slip.

was

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016
ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in
For the taxonomic study of material length
of the body, characters like colour, texture of body,
wing and abdomen were noted in fresh specimen
before mounting and dissection. The detail
morphological characters were studied under
trinocular research microscope. Material was run to
the key to genera to identify the genus proved by
Grover (1979). The measurements of different parts
of the adult such as antennal segments, palpal
segments, wings, legs and genitalia were taken with
the help of oculometer.
Sketches were drawn with the help of
Camera Lucida and measurements of palpal
segments, antennal segments, wings, claw and
genitalia of male and ovipositor of female
Endaphis aphidimyza. Microphotographs were
taken with the help of Olympus Trinocular
Research Microscope and digital Nikon camera.
Photographs in the field were taken with digital
Nikon camera.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The following taxonomic characters were recorded
of male and female Endaphis aphidimyza:Male: 1.32mm long, orange- coloured,
Head: Eyes: confluent above, facet rounded. Post
vertical peak long having large setae. Trophi
normal, labrum long and pointed, labella convex
laterally with a pointed tip, bearing lateral setae.
Palpus: quadriarticulate, hyaline, 4-segmented,
hairy, setose; first segment (6:5) rectangular,
cylindrical, slightly longer than wide, second
segment (10:5); cylindrical, twice as long as broad;
third segment (15:5), cylindrical thrice as long as
broad, longer than preceding segments; fourth
segment (16:4), cylindrical with rounded tip, four
time long as broad. Antenna: with 2 + 12 trinodose
segments; third and fourth segments confluent,
basal enlargements globose, with one whorl of
regular circumfilar loop and one whorl of strong
setae, apical enlargement cylindrical with a slight
constriction at mid of the enlargement, with two
whorls of circumfilar loop and one whorl of strong
setae; scape (10:15), cup shaped, broad apically,
length 2/3 of the width; pedicel (13:13), globose,
as long as broad, little longer than the scape; third
segment (45), with a small basal prolongation,
basal enlargement (20:14), 4/9 the length of the
segment; nearly 1 as long as broad, basal stem
(8:5), nearly 1/5 the length of the segment, 2/5 the
length of the basal enlargement, 8/5 as long as
broad, apical enlargement (17:11), nearly 1/3 the
length of the segment, nearly 1 as long as broad,
apical stem (8:4), nearly 1/5 the length of the
segment, nearly length of the apical enlargement,
twice as long as broad; fourth segment (33), basal

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

enlargement (10:11), nearly 1/3 the length of the

segment, nearly as long as broad, basal stem (9:5),
3/11 the length of the segment, nearly twice as long
as broad, apical enlargement (15:11), 5/11 the
length of the segment, nearly 1 as long as broad,
as long as basal enlargement, apical stem (8:4),
nearly the length of the segment, twice as long as
board; fifth segment (44), basal enlargement
(9:12), nearly 1/5 the length of the segment, 3/4 as
long as broad, basal stem (10:4), little less than 1/4
the length of the segment, 2 as long as broad,
apical enlargement (15:11), little more than 1/3 the
length of the segment, 15/11 as along as broad,
apical stem (10:4) similar to the basal stem; sixth
segment (44), basal enlargement (9:12), nearly 1/5
the length of the segment, 3/4 as long as broad,
basal stem (10:4), little less than 1/4 the length of
the segment, 2 as long as broad, apical
enlargement (15:11), little less than 1/5 the length
of the segment, nearly 1 as long as broad, apical
stem (10:4), similar to the basal stem; seventh
segment (46), basal enlargement (9:12), nearly 1/5
the length of the segment, 3/4 as long as broad,
basal stem (10:4), similar to the preceding segment,
apical enlargement (14:10), 7/23 the length of the
segment, 1 as long as broad, apical stem (13:4)
nearly 7/23 the length of the segment, nearly three
times as long as broad; Eighth segment (46), basal
enlargement (9:10), nearly 1/5 the length of the
segment, nearly as long as broad, basal stem
(11:14), nearly the length of the segment, nearly
6/7 as long as broad, apical enlargement (14:10)
and apical stem (13:4), similar to the preceding
segment; ninth segment (46), similar to the
preceding segment; tenth and eleventh segments
(48), basal enlargement (8:10), 1/6 the length of the
segment, 4/5 as long as broad, basal stem (10:4),
5/23 length of the segment, 2 as long as broad,
apical enlargement (14:10), 2/7 the length of the
segment, nearly 1 as long as broad, apical stem
(14:3) 2/7 the length of the segment, 14/3 as long
as broad; twelfth and penultimate segments (50),
basal enlargement (8:9), 1/6 the length of the
segment, slightly broader than long, basal stem
(14:8), nearly 2/7 length of the segment, nearly
twice as long as broad, apical enlargement (14:9),
nearly 2/7 the length of the segment, 1 as long as
broad, apical stem (14:2) nearly 2/7 the length of
the segment, seven times as long as broad; terminal
segment (39), basal enlargement (7:9), with a small
prolongation having rounded tip, 2/11 the length of
the segment, slightly broader than long, basal stem
(12:3), nearly 4/13 the length of the segment, four
times as long as broad, apical enlargement (20:8),
nearly 1/2 the length of the segment, 2 as long as
broad. Wings (40:20), twice as long as broad,
hyaline, vein R1 joining Costa at the basal third of
the wing, Costa interrupting at the union, vein Rs
absent, vein R5 slightly curved, joining Costa at the

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016
ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in
apex of wing, vein Cu forked. Legs: long, light
brown, densely hairy; metatarsus (6), similar to the
fifth tarsal segment; second tarsal segment (29),
nearly five times the length of the metatarsus; third
tarsal segment (12), twice the length of the
metatarsus; fourth tarsal segment (10), slightly
shorter than third tarsal segment; fifth tarsal
segment (6), similar to the metatarsus and 3/5 the
length of the fourth tarsal segment; claw (8)
curved; empodium (7), moderately hairy and
slightly shorter than the claw. Abdomen: dark
orange, tergites with lateral setae and sternites with
lateral and caudal setae. Genitalia: brown, basal
clasp segment (30:15), twice as long as broad,
cylindrical, narrow at the apex, terminal clasp
segment (23:5), nearly 4 as long as broad, nearly
4/5 the length of the basal clasp segment, narrow at
the middle, with black pointed tooth at the tip;
dorsal plate (20:18) broader than long, setosed,
hairy, deeply and broadly incised, apically bilobed,
rounded; sub dorsal plate (16:10), nearly 1 as
long broad, shorter than dorsal plate, apically
rounded, densely hairy, setose; aedeagus (25:7),
longer than dorsal and sub dorsal plate, apically
rounded and broad basally.
Female: Body 1.64mm long, orange.
Head: Postvertical peak found. Eyes confluent,
facet rounded. Trophi normal. Palpus: 4segmented, quadriarticulate, hyaline, setose and
hairy; first segment (6:5), rectangular, cylindrical,
slightly longer than broad; second segment (10:5),
cylindrical, twice long as broad, nearly 1 the
length of the first segment; third segment (16:5),
nearly 1 the length of the preceding segment,
nearly thrice as long as broad; fourth segment
(16:4), similar to the preceding segment, four times
as long as broad. Antenna: 2 + 12 segments, third
and fourth segment confluent, enlargements
cylindrical with short apical stem, two whorls of
long and stout setae, circumfila applied, stems
shorter than enlargements; scape (10:13), cup
shaped, broad apically, broader than long; pedicel
(12:11), globose, little longer than scape, slightly
longer than broad; third segment (25), confluent
with fourth segment and longer than fourth, with
small basal prolongation, enlargement (20:9), 4/5
the length of the segment, nearly twice as long as
broad, stem (5:4), rectangular, 1/5 the length of the
segment, slightly longer than broad; fourth segment
(22), shorter than third segment, enlargement
(17:8), nearly the length of the segment, nearly
twice as long as broad; stem (5:4), rectangular,
nearly 2/9 the length of the segment, slightly longer
than broad; fifth segment (23), enlargement (16:8),
nearly 2/3 the length of the segment, twice as long
as broad, stem (5:4), similar to preceding segment;
sixth, seventh and eighth segments (22), similar,
enlargements (17:8), nearly 4/5 the length of the

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segment, nearly twice as long as broad, stems (6:3),

nearly 2/7 the length of the segment, twice as long
as broad; ninth, tenth and eleventh segments (21),
similar, enlargements (16:7), nearly 4/5 the length
of the segment, nearly twice as long as broad,
stems (5:2), a little greater than the length of the
segment, 2 as long as broad; twelfth and
penultimate segments (20), smaller than preceding
segments, enlargements (16:6), 4/5 the length of
the segment, 2 as long as broad, stems (4:2), 1/4
the length of the segment, twice as long as broad;
terminal segment (18:6), with a small apical
prolongation having round tip, thrice as long as
broad. Wings (35:15), 7/3 as long as broad, veins as
well as in male wing. Legs: similar to the male
legs. Ovipositor (10:5), pale yellow, protractile,
lamilliform, elongated terminal lobes twice as long
as broad, moderately hairy and setose.
The length of male (1.32cm) and female
(1.64cm) of Endaphis aphidimyza differ from the
findings of Shivpuje and Raodeo (1985). While the
structure of eyes, trophy, palpus, antenna, pedicel,
wings, legs, genitalia (male) and ovipositor
(female) are nearly similar to structure of genus
Endaphis, as described by Grover (1979). The
taxonomic characters of Endaphis aphidimyza
concord with that of Shivpuje and Raodeo (1985).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are deeply thankful to Dean, Faculty
of Science and Environment, M.G.C.G.V.,
Chitrakoot, who has been very kind to us providing
all the necessary facilities for present work.

REFERENCES
Grover, P. 1979. A revision of subfamily
Cecidomyiinnae. Cecidologia Indica, 14(1,
2 & 3): 1-186.
Grover, P. and Kashyap, V. 1986. Revision of
Genus
Endaphis.
Cecidologia
Internationale, 7(3): 97-104.
Kieffer, J.J., 1896. Observations sur les Diplosis, et
diagnoses de cing especes nouvelles Dipt.).
Bull. Soc. Ent. France, 65:382-384
Muratori , F.B.; Gagne, R.J. and Messing, R.H.
2009. Ecological traits of a new aphid
parasitoid, Endaphis fugitiva (Diptera:
Cecidomyiidae), and its potential for
biological control of the banana aphid,
Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera :
Aphididae). Bio. Control, 50: 185-193.
Shivpuje, P.R. and Raodeo, A.K. 1985. A new
species of parasitic midge from safflower

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Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016
ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in
aphid from India. J. Maharshtra Agric.
Univ., 10(1): 61-63.
Tang, Y.Q.; Yokomi, R.K. and Gagne, R.J. 1994.
Life history and description of Endaphis
maculants (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae), an

Male:

endoparasitoid of aphids in Florida and

Caribean Basin, Annals of Entomological
Society of America, 89(5): 523-531.

1. Scape and Pedicel; 2. Third and fourth antennal segments; 3. Fifth

antennal segment; 4. Palpus; 5. Wing; 6. Claw; 7a. Dorsal view of genitaila; 7b.
Ventral view of genitalia
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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR)

Vol-2, Issue-3 , 2016
ISSN : 2454-1362 , http://www.onlinejournal.in

Figure: 1. Male Endaphis aphidimyza

Female:

1. Scape and Pedicel; 2. Third and fourth antennal segments; 3. Fifth

antennal segment; 4. Palpus; 5. Wing; 6. Claw; 7. Ovipositor

Figure: 2. Female Endaphis aphidimyza

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