A contribution to the aphid fauna (Hemiptera, Aphidoidea) of Republic of Mali.

The first study of the aphid fauna from the Republic of Mali has been made. Ten species are reported and keyed from this territory. The diagnostic key and the list of host plants of the species found are given. In total, only 69 colonies of aphids were found during the research, which indicates a very low population density of aphids in the territory of Mali. There is a significant difference between the number of aphid colonies found in the dry and rainy seasons. Aphids in Mali, both in the dry and in the rainy season, were found more often in biotopes along rivers, on artificially irrigated areas. About 70% of all colonies in both the dry and rainy seasons were very small or small. It is very likely that originally aphids were absent in the territory of West Africa to the south of the Sahara. They probably penetrated the Sahel zone and the surrounding territories from the Mediterranean coast along the Red Sea coast and from the Arabian Peninsula through Ethiopia and then later they moved further to the west. The progress of crop production could lead to the introduction of a small number of species into this territory only in a relatively recent time.