SEMIAPHIS DAUCI (FABRICIUS) (INSECTA, HEMIPTERA, APHIDIDAE) – FORMAL RECORD OF OCCURRENCE ON ARRACACHA ( ARRACACIA XANTHORRHIZA BANCR.) (APIACEAE) IN BRAZIL, MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION, DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES AND ARTHROPODS ASSOCIATED TO THE CULTURE

This paper reports formally the occurrence and describes the damages by Semiaphis dauci (Fabricius, 1775) (Insecta, Hemiptera, Aphididae, Aphidinae, Macrosiphini) on arracacha ( Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancr.) (Apiaceae) in Brazil. The infestation was initially noted on April/2002 at Núcleo de Produção de Mudas, Departamento de Sementes Mudas e Matrizes, Coordenadoria de Assistência Técnica Integral, Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento, São Bento do Sapucaí, State of São Paulo. Posteriorly the occurrence was detected in other parts of the municipality of São Bento do Sapucaí such as Serrano, Paiol Grande and Cantagalo, being the incidence higher in localities at lower altitudes. The colonies, with large number of individuals, were settled on both sides of the leaves and also hidden under petiole, but with lower number of specimens. The adult plants were underdeveloped and the growing of aphid colonies induced the blossoming. In the seedlings the symptoms were severer with reduction in the development and death of plants. When the colonies were placed in the dorsal side of the leaves, there was a tendency to wrinkling and rolling to upper side that was used as shelter by the aphids. Morphological characterization, illustrations and notes on biology of S . dauci and a survey of the Arthropoda related with A . xanthorrhiza are also presented. dauci on A . xanthorrhiza in Brazil based on previous note by Y uki et al . (2006). Morphological characterization, illustrations, notes on biology of the aphid and description of the damages and a survey of the Arthropoda related with A . xanthorrhiza are also presented.


INTRODUCTION
In Brazil due geography, history, and social and cultural reasons, exotic plant species are frequently introduced without adequate phytosanitary control. As many of them have horticultural, forestry, medical and ornamental importance they are quickly spread through many areas. The human factor associated with propitious whether favor the introduction and establishment of many pests, especially the aphids (Insecta, Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Aphidoidea), previously absent and that are associated with these plants.
The present geographical distribution of aphid species is result of a long historical process in which natural causes and man action are the most important actors. Their occurrence in certain places is closely related to presence of genera and/or species of plants that serve as hosts along with prevalence of adequate climatic conditions (mier Durante;nieto nafría, 1994;Dixon, 1998;Holman, 1974).
Aphids or plantlices (Aphididae) constitute a large group of small, soft-bodied insects that are frequently found in large numbers on leaves or steams of plants (triPleHorn;JoHnson, 2005). The family is widely distributed and includes about 350 genera and 3,500 species (kosZtarab, 1982).
Due to their biological characteristics they are one of the most important groups of insects on agronomic point of view and when present in the cultures they are able to cause severe economic losses (Delfino, 2005). Therefore, any information concerning their relationships with host plants and geographical distribution of each species are considered of great importance.
A large number of species damages cultivated plants, including vegetables, forestry and ornamentals. The main troubles caused by their action over the plants are: (i) the sucking activity removes sap and injects saliva that can cause stunting of the shoots, galls or deformation and discoloration of leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits; (ii) may serve as vectors of phytovirus; and (iii) excrete honeydew on which sooty mold grows, interfering in the photosynthesis (kosZtarab, 1982;blackman;eastoP, 2000).
The genus Semiaphis van der Goot, 1913 is included in subfamily Aphidinae, tribe Macrosiphini (blackman;eastoP, 2000). Semiaphis dauci (Fabricius, 1775) is originally a Eurosiberian species and high growth rates in Goiás and Tocantins, states to which arracacha culture was introduced a few years ago. In São Paulo, where arracacha was in the 1960s a source of "great wealth" (normanHa;silva, 1963) and grown to a larger extent than in any other federal state, arracacha production has been reduced to some 200 ha in the 1992/1993 growing season (monteiro et al., 1993). Booming service industries have forced out arracacha culture around metropolitan area of São Paulo. For example, the former arracacha-growing municipality of Piedade near São Paulo nowadays acts as a transshipment point for arracacha from all over Brazil. Piedade no longer produces arracacha, but washes, classifies and packs arracacha from other states for sale on the wholesale market Companhia de Entrepostos e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo, São Paulo (Hermann, 1997).
Arracacha is typically grown by small farmers with less than 1 ha of arracacha per holding. Yields average 6 -14 t/ha in Paraná and Minas Gerais (HamerscHmiDt, 1984;santos, 1984), 15 -30 t/ha in São Paulo, with irrigation (monteiro et al., 1993 and a nation-wide mean of 8 t/ha has been reported.
Plantings are year-round, with marketed volumes reaching a maximum between July and September when prices are lowest.
Arracacha is generally regarded as a robust culture with few disease or pest problems if it is appropriately rotated. But insects, bacteria and fungi can cause significant damage.
This paper records formally the occurrence of S. dauci on A. xanthorrhiza in Brazil based on previous note by Yuki et al. (2006). Morphological characterization, illustrations, notes on biology of the aphid and description of the damages and a survey of the Arthropoda related with A. xanthorrhiza are also presented.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The survey was carried out on April/2002 at Núcleo de Produção de Mudas (NPM), Departamento de Sementes Mudas e Matrizes, Coordenadoria de Assistência Técnica Integral, Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento, São Bento do Sapucaí/SP. The municipality of São Bento do Sapucaí (22º 40' 53.6" S, 45º 44' 37.6" W) in the east side of Serra da Mantiqueira at 864 m a. s. l., about 200 km east of city of São Paulo. On March/2003 with the increase in the damages and losses, specimens were collected in arracacha seedlings production area at NPM and send to one of the authors (MAD) for identification. In the same year, infestations were reported by small farmers mainly from Serrano, Paiol Grande and Cantagalo, districts of São Bento do Sapucaí. The infestation levels were inversely proportional to the altitude of the place where the farm was located.
Plants highly infested with aphids were collected in field cultures of arracacha in São Bento do Sapucaí, SP, put in plastic bags and taken to Laboratório de Vetores, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Fitossanidade, Instituto Agronômico de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo. The aphids were removed with aid of thin and soft brush and preserved in 20 mL of ethanol 70% in eppendorf tubes until identification. Apterous adults and alates were collected.
For identification permanent slides were prepared and observed under optical microscope. The specimens (aptera and alates) were mounted in Canada balsam according to remauDière (1992) technique slightly modified. It was employed 10% KOH solution instead of 40% as originally recommended. The specimens are deposited in Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba.

RESULTS
Formal record of occurrence. The aphid was identified as S. dauci and before 2002, it was not recorded in Brazil. The first report of occurrence in this country was published by Yuki et al. (2006) in a previous note and probably was the first world record of this species of aphid on arracacha.
On April/2002, it was verified severe infestation by an aggressive aphid species in A. xanthorrhiza culture at Núcleo de Produção de Mudas (NPM), Departamento de Sementes Mudas e Matrizes, Coordenadoria de Assistência Técnica Integral, Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento, São Bento do Sapucaí/SP. The municipality of São Bento do Sapucaí (22º 40' 53.6" S, 45º 44' 37.6" W) is placed in the east side of Serra da Mantiqueira at 864 m a. s. l., about 200 km east of city of São Paulo. On March/2003 with the increase in the damages and losses, specimens were collected in arracacha seedlings production area at NPM and send to one of the authors (MAD) for identification. In the same year, infestations were reported by small farmers mainly from Serrano, Paiol Grande and Cantagalo, districts of São Bento do Sapucaí. The infestation levels were inversely proportional to the altitude of the place where the farm was located.
Taxonomy and morphological characterization. The originally Palaearctic genus Semiaphis van der Goot, 1913 contains 14 described species, is included in subfamily Aphidinae, tribe Macrosiphini and is very similar to Hyadaphis Kirkaldy, 1904 but with very short siphunculi (blackman; eastoP, 2000).
Morphological characterization of apterous viviparous, alate viviparous, alate male and illustration of apterous viviparous of S. dauci were presented by Prior (1971). In that paper, he also included biometric data for apterous and alate viviparae and alate males of the species.
Apterous (Figs. 1, 2). Small, length 1.3 -2.1 mm. Blue greenish recovered by white waxy secretion, head, legs, siphunculi and cauda dark green to brownish. Antennae extending to about half of body length, without secondary sensoria, terminal process about 2 or 3x longer than antennomere VI base. Siphunculi (Fig.  3) very short, about 0.04 to 0.05x body length, almost conical, slightly curved inwardly. Cauda pointed and long, tongue like, at least 2x longer than siphunculi.       Alate. Color similar to that apterous females, head and thorax black. Antennomere III with 17 to 22 secondary sensoria, IV with 3 to 6. Abdomen light, dark marginal plates and transverse bands on tergite VII and VIII. Siphunculi and cauda similar to those apterous.
Remarks. No species of aphids infesting arracacha was cited by blackman; eastoP (2000), but they mentioned that 18 species are able to colonize carrot. Among them, two species are of genus Semiaphis: S. dauci and S. heraclei (Takahashi, 1921). Both species have very small siphunculi, which attain, at maximum, half of tail length, and did not have apical crown. The distinctive characters of species are: S. dauci presents siphunculi longer than 1.5 times of width of base, setae very short, the longest in the posterior femur rarely exceeding 20 μm; in S. heraclei the siphunculi are shorter than 1.5 times of base width, the longest setae in the metafemur exceeding 60 μm, longer than half of diameter of femoral base.
Notes on biology. -Apiaceae) plants. The leaves present, near the area were the colonies were settled, strong curling and rolling up and the sprouts present a certain degree of paralysis. No previous record on damage in arracacha exists before the note by Yuki et al. (2006). On arracacha the damages by S. dauci are proportional to the insect population. The colonies generally are composed by a large number of individuals (Fig. 4) and were settled in both sides of leaves. The colonization usually starts by the superior surface of the leaves and there was a tendency to wrinkling and curling (Fig. 5). As the colonies grow the leaves roll up hiding aphids, the plants had their development retarded and the blossoming is induced. When the control is not adequately done the population increases so much in size, spreads to petioles and sprouts, killing the plant (Fig. 6). The plants that survive infestation blossom precociously (Fig. 7). In the seedlings, the symptoms were severer with reduction in the development and death of plants. These symptoms are similar to those observed in carrot.
Arthropoda related to arracacha. Bibliographical research was done to verify what are the main mites (Arachnida, Acari) and other insects (Insecta) that can be limiting to cultivation of this tuber. Information on damages by the species of Acari, Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera is added and the results of survey are summarized in Table 1.
Tetranychus urticae Koch, 1836 (Arachnida, Acari, Tetranychidae). The two spotted spider mite can became an important pest in the arracacha culture regions. In certain parts of states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo it is considered the main pest of A. xanthorrhiza (fornaZier et al., 1988;correia, 1984).
The specimens live in colonies on the inferior surface of the leaves. They feed on sap causing general yellowing of the culture, leaf lost, strong reduction in the production of new leaves, lateness in the plant development and consequently diminishing in the production (bôas et al., 1997).
Tetranychus sp. According to fonseca (1984) a red mite of genus Tetranychus Dufour, 1832 also can infest arracacha culture especially when associated with bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (Fabaceae). The colonies develop on inferior side of the leaves that are recovered by silk web. The infestation can attain high level, in dry season, in not irrigated cultures (santos et al., 1991).
Aphis fabae Scopoli, 1763 (Insecta, Hemiptera, Aphididae). This black aphid species infests only inflorescences and does not diminish the production of tubercles. However for research purposes and seeds production A. fabae can be very harmful due high populational level that it can attain (bôas et al., 1997).
Aphis spiraecola Patch, 1914. meneZes (1970 cited the arracacha as host of A. spiraecola but did not mention the damage due the species. It was also listed in arracacha in the catalogue by souZa-silva; ilHarco (1995).
Aphis sp. An unidentified species of Aphis Linnaeus, 1758 was considered by bôas et al. (1997) the most important aphid that infests arracacha culture. They observed pink or grey colonies. The species attacks the petiolar base in the insertion of the leaves with stems just underground surface. Its detection depends on removal of the leaves nearest the soil. The aphid lives in symbiosis with Solenopsis saevissima (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) and the presence of the ant is indicative of infestation. Aphis sp. sucks sap causing decaying of plants and are able to transmit viruses; the infestation results in reduction in the productivity (santos et al., 1991).
Dysaphis apiifolia (Theobald, 1922) (Aphididae). This species was collected by costa et al. (1972) with water traps in culture of A. xanthorrhiza in Piedade, SP in V-VI.1968. No information on damage was mentioned by them. It was catalogued by souZasilva; ilHarco (1995) as one of the aphid species hosted by arracacha.
Hyadaphis foeniculi (Passerini, 1860) (Aphididae). This species presents green coloration and does not occur often. The losses caused by this aphid are still not significant. It infests the leaves that facilitate the visualization and control (santos et al., 1991). This specie was present on arracacha in mix with S. dauci.
Conotrachelus cristatus Fahraeus, 1837 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae). Nowadays this is the most important pest of arracacha culture in Brazil. In the state of São Paulo, in 1984, it was verified an intense attack by this borer in 100% of the seedlings, and this event was considered one of the main reasons for decreasing of arracacha cultivated area in the state . In the southern part of state of Minas Gerais it was detected in 1993 in the largest and most important production areas. According to farmers C. cristatus did not occur in São Bento do Sapucaí, but with improvement in the culture income in 1994/1995 there was an increase in the culture in the year of 1996. The seedlings necessary to attend the expansion were brought from Senador Amaral and Gonçalves, southern Minas Gerais, and were infested. The introduction of the pest in São Bento do Sapucaí led to reduction of about three times in the productivity.
The weevil has as hosts, species of Inga Mill. (Fabaceae) which are widely distributed in Brazil, making easy the beetle spreading. The biology of the species was not studied yet. It attacks propagules making them unviable to vegetative propagation. The larvae penetrate the petiole by the internal side which is softer and causes, initially, yellowing in the leaf bases. They open galleries inside of petiolar bases and posteriorly bore the vegetative bud which presents high starch concentration. The larvae make an extensive damage in this part of plant opening many galleries and becoming the material improper for cultivation (bôas et al., 1997). Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel, 1767) (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). This is a polyphagous species. The caterpillar cut the new leaves very close to ground level and eliminate the apical shoot, the plants die and the beds is not uniformly formed (salGaDo, 1984). During heavy infestations even the tuberous roots are damaged and posteriorly rotten by invasion of microorganisms. The attack occurs up to 30 days after planting (santos et al., 1991).