Experimental Hybridization of the Currant Inhabiting Palaearctic Species of the GenusAphisL. (Hemiptera, Aphididae)

Results of the experimental hybridization between A. schneideri (Börner) and A. triglochinis Theob., together with the concluding remarks on the experimental hybridization of three Palaearctic currant inhabiting species of the genus Aphis L. are presented (see also Rakauskas, 1999; Rakauskas, in press). Fertile interspecific hybrid eggs were received when crossing A. schneideri (Börner), A. grossulariae Kalt. and A. triglochinis Theob. clones from southern Poland. The established hybrid clones expressed normal parthenogenetic reproduction and bisexual generations appeared in certain cases. Intraclonal backcrossing in hybrid A. schneideri × A. triglochinis clone resulted in fertile hybrid eggs producing viable and fertile bisexual F2 generation next season. Independent inheritance of morphological and life-cycle & host specificity features can be foreseen from the results of the present study. 49 out of 61 hybrid clones were morphologically similar to maternal or paternal species, 8 hybrid clones were morphologically intermediate. 4 hybrid clones in A. schneideri × A. triglochinis crossings had morphological and life cycle features of A. grossulariae. The present results do not exclude the possibility of natural hybridization between the studied aphid species. Natural crosses might be hardly detectable due to their “pure” morphological and host specificity features.