An examination of the north American aphid species currently placed in Ovatus van der goot (Hemiptera: Aphididae) with the description of a new genus

The current placement in Ovatus of four endemic North American aphid species is critically examined. Results of cladistic analyses clearly indicate that these four species are not congeneric with Palearctic Ovatus and that they are more closely related to Myzus Passerini. Cladistic evidence is provided to justify the erection of a new genus, Abstrusomyzus n. gen., for the four endemic North American species formerly placed in Ovatus. This resulted in four new combinations: Abstrusomyzus leucocrini (Gillette & Palmer) n. comb., Abstrusomyzus phloxae (Sampson) n. comb., Abstrusomyzus reticulatus (Heie) n. comb., and Abstrusomyzus valuliae (Robinson) n. comb. Information on each of the four species is compiled and presented. Illustrations are provided, along with a key to the species of the new genus and notes on the single remaining species of Ovatus in North America, Ovatus crataegarius (Walker).