Andricus, Hartig, 1840

Shachar, Einat, Melika, George, Inbar, Moshe & Dorchin, Netta, 2018, The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history, Zootaxa 4521 (4), pp. 451-498 : 468

Andricus sp. nr. amenti

Host plants. Israel: Q. libani and Q. cerris .

Life history. Known only from the delicate, single-chambered leaf galls of the sexual generation, which are composed of an oval purple chamber that is carried on a long stalk for a total length of 8–11 mm ( Fig. 69 ).

Phenology. Young galls were observed in April and a single female of the sexual generation emerged in May.

Distribution. Known only from Israel: common on some trees on Mt. Hermon at 1780 m.a.s.l. and more rare at 1500 m.a.s.l. and on Mt. Kahal.

Comments. Similar galls in Europe that develop in catkins of oaks from section Quercus belong to A. alniensis Folliot , A. amenti Giraud , A. callidoma Hartig , A. malpighii (Adler) and A. seminationis (Giraud) ( Melika 2006b) . However, the single adult we reared in Israel differs morphologically from those of the European species and is found on leaves of an oak from section Cerris. Together with preliminary molecular data (Shachar, unpublished) this suggests that the Israeli population represents a distinct species despite the similar gall morphology. A formal description of this species will be published elsewhere once more adults are reared.

Figures

FIGURES 65–70. Galls on various Quercus species. 65. Andricus sp. nr. quercusradicis, sexual generation on leaf of Quercus ithaburensis; 66. Neuroterus anthracinus, asexual generation on Quercus ithaburensis; 67. Andricus multiplicatus, sexual generation on Quercus libani; 68. Andricus melikai, sexual generation on Quercus libani; 69. Andricus sp. nr. amenti, sexual generation on Quercus libani; 70. Cerroneuroterus sp. nr. lanuginosus, asexual generation on Quercus libani.