Cynips quercus Fourcroy, 1758

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 : 474

Cynips quercus Fourcroy, 1758

Host plants. Israel: Q. boissieri . Elsewhewe: several oak species from section Quercus .

Life history. Known in Israel only from the leaf galls of the asexual generation, which are spherical, singlechambered galls, 15–25 mm in diameter, resembling small grapes ( Fig. 32 ). The galls are fleshy, firm, light green with white dots when young, yellowish with white dots when mature. The larval chamber is located in the center of the gall, surrounded by a thin wall. The sexual generation is known from Europe to develop in single-chambered galls in dormant lenticel buds, often on the trunk or on larger branches, and rarely on shoots of the previous year ( Melika 2006b).

Phenology. Galls of the asexual generation appear in July and drop to the ground in November-December while still attached to the leaves. Adults emerge from them in January-February. Galls of the sexual generation appear in Europe in May and adults emerge from them in June ( Melika 2006b).

Distribution. Israel: Mt. Hermon at 1500 and 1780 m.a.s.l., Odem Forest, En Zivan, Allone HaBashan, Tel Hazeqa, Mt. Meron, Mt. Addir. Elsewhere: A common species throughout Europe and Asia Minor, to Turkey and Lebanon, but restricted only to the extreme northeast of the Iberian Peninsula and absent from Portugal.

Comments. Galls of the asexual generation are similar to those of Cynips quercusfolli Linnaeus in Europe ( Melika 2006b).

Figures

FIGURES 29–34. Galls on Quercus boissieri. 29. Cynips cornifex, asexual generation; 30. Neuroterus numismalis, sexual generation; 31. Neuroterus anthracinus, asexual generation; 32. Cynips quercus, asexual generation; 33. Cynips divisa, asexual generation; 34. Neuroterus albipes, asexual generation.