Celticecis acuminata Gagne, new species

Gall.--On lamina on underside of leaf, often in groups; upright, bulbous at base, tapering beyond mid-length to gall apex; green, turning tan or gray, covered with moderately long white hair, hair not obscuring granulose gall surface; ca. 4.0 mm long by 2.5 mm at widest; apparent on opposite side of leaf as an inconspicuous convexity; gall in cross section with elongate-ovoid larval chamber with thick, woody walls widest near mid-length.

Affinities.--See under C spiniformis [C spiniformis entry: Affinities. — Nine species of Celticecis appear to form a natural group: C. spiniformis, C. aciculata, C. acuminata, C. capsularis, C. conica, C. cupiformis, C. pilosa, C. subulata, and C. supina. All form galls on the leaf lamina except for C. supina whose galls are attached to veins, usually minor ones.]

Biological notes.--Young galls were found in Alexandria, Louisiana on only partially expanded leaves. Galls could be found on leaves into September. The cocoon extends to the base of the tapered portion of the gall that breaks off upon eclosion of the adults.

Distr.--This is an uncommon species found in southeastern and midwestern U.S. on northern hackberry, dwarf hackberry and sugarberry. It is one of the few species apparently absent from Louisiana [sic; observations from Louisiana are listed in the same paragraph and the following one] and Texas.

AR, FL, GA, IA, LA, MS, OH, VA, KY

Celticecis acuminata

Celticecis acuminata was found at two study sites in Pennsylvania, one site in New Jersey, and one site in New York (Figure 1) representing three states with newly recorded records for the distribution of this species.