The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history
Author
Shachar, Einat
Author
Melika, George
Author
Inbar, Moshe
Author
Dorchin, Netta
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-11-16
4521
4
451
498
journal article
27950
10.11646/zootaxa.4521.4.1
832ac35c-8871-4041-9321-ea7f2ae5eb41
1175-5326
2610021
A4FD6137-25B0-43D5-845B-B4FDF4E9F5D7
Cerroneuroterus gyulaigaraiae
(Melika, 2006)
Host plants.
Israel
:
Q. ithaburensis
.
Elsewhere (
Syria
and
Iran
):
Q. ithaburensis
,
Q. brantii
.
Life history.
Known only from the leaf galls of the asexual generation, which are circular, flat, rigid structures, up to
2 mm
thick and
6 mm
in diameter, white at center, orange along undulating rims, and covered by sparse white hairs (
Fig. 62
). They are usually found in clusters and then their rims can be slightly irregular as they are squeezed together.
Phenology.
Galls appear in August, drop to the ground in late October to November, and the pupae or adults overwinter in them on the ground. Adults emerge in January. Parasitism rates in
Israel
can exceed 80%.
Distribution.
Israel
: Mezar, Bet Keshet Forest, Hosha'aya, Alonim, Tiv’on, HaSharon Forest. Elsewhere:
Syria
,
Iran
.
Comments.
The galls of this species are superficially similar to those of
Cerroneuroterus lanuginosus
on the same host plant (
Figs 60–61
) but differ from them in being orange with a white center rather than white with a black center, and in being less hairy.
Sternlicht (1968b)
referred to this species as
Neuroterus
sp. (his
Fig. 44
).