Rizinus vs Common maple aphid

Ricinus communis compared with Periphyllus testudinaceus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Rizinus	Common maple aphid
Kingdom	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insekten)
Order	Malpighiales (Malpighienartige)	Hemiptera (Schnabelkerfe)
Family	Euphorbiaceae	Aphididae
Genus	Ricinus	Periphyllus
Species	Ricinus communis	Periphyllus testudinaceus

Conservation Status

Rizinus

NE — Not Evaluated

Common maple aphid

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Rizinus	Common maple aphid
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Rizinus

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (33 countries), Asia (26 countries), Europe (23 countries), North America (15 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (14 countries), and South America (12 countries).

Common maple aphid

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Rizinus

The Castor (Ricinus communis) is a species in the genus Ricinus. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and hi

Common maple aphid

<em>Periphyllus testudinaceus</em>, the common maple aphid, is a small sap-sucking insect in the family Aphididae, associated primarily with maple trees of the genus Acer. It is recorded from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. This species has not been formally evaluated for IUCN conservation status. The common maple aphid typically forms colonies on the undersides of maple leaves and along young shoots, feeding on phloem sap and potentially causing leaf curling, discoloration, and reduced tree vigor in heavy infestations. Like many aphid species, it produces honeydew as a metabolic byproduct, which attracts ants that may protect the aphid colonies in exchange. The species exhibits complex life cycles that can involve both sexual and asexual reproduction across seasons. Biological traits including body size, average lifespan, and precise dietary specializations beyond maple sap feeding remain incompletely documented. The common maple aphid is part of the broader community of invertebrates dependent on maple trees across temperate Northern Hemisphere regions.