The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history
Shachar, Einat
Melika, George
Inbar, Moshe
Dorchin, Netta
Zootaxa
2018
2018-11-16
4521
4
451
498
Hartig, 1840
Hartig
1840
[151,475,151,178]
Insecta
Cynipidae
Cynips
GBIF
Animalia
Hymenoptera
23
474
Arthropoda
species
divisa
Host plants. Israel: Q. boissieri. Elsewhere: several oak species from section Quercus. Life history.Both the sexual and asexual generations are known but in Israelonly the leaf galls of the asexual generation were found. These are spherical, detachable galls on the underside of the leaves, 4–6 mmin diameter and single-chambered ( Fig. 33). Young galls are green and fleshy, turning golden-brown and thick-walled when mature. Galls of the sexual generation are small, conical, single-chambered leaf-margin galls with a small apical tip.
Phenology.In Europe, galls of the asexual generation begin to develop in June and adults emerge from them in October-November or in February-March of the following year. In Israelthey were found in July but no adults were reared from them. Galls of the sexual generation develop rapidly after leaf burst in spring and adults emerge in May.
Distribution. Israel: Throughout the distribution range of Q. boissieri. Elsewhere: A common species from the Iberian Peninsula to Transcaucasia and Iran.
Comments.Galls of the asexual generation of this species are somewhat similar to those of Cynips quercuson the same host plant ( Fig. 32) but are smaller and golden-brown rather than green.