Andricus notholithocarpi (midrib gall)

Name	Type	Notes
Unknown n-densiflorus-midrib-cell	scientific	Previous name

Name

Type

Notes

Unknown n-densiflorus-midrib-cell

scientific

Previous name

A small larval cell hidden within the midrib of Notholithocarpus densiflorus, producing a very slight swelling. Noticeable as of November and (likely old) March when an emergence hole is visible. Sometimes causing the leaf to bend.

Adults reared from these galls (3 females emerged in January from galls collected in December in Mendocino County; 3 females emerged in March from galls collected in February in Sonoma County, CA) were analyzed by Dr. James Nicholls, and his preliminary result in June 2024 confirmed that they were Andricus notholithocarpi from galltype #4 (authors’ field code spCA18), which was previously only known by the sequencing of dissected larvae. Further morphological comparison by his team is needed to determine whether this is the same generation as other galltypes. (See also https://www.gallformers.org/gall/2484.)

Gall: Four different gall types induced by this species were found (Figs. 10–16). Three are very similar, differing only by the plant organ on which they occur. The fourth probably represents an early developmental stage of the typical gall induced on a leaf; perhaps with development stopped due to parasitism.

Galls in swollen leaf midribs (authors' field code spCA18) (Figs. 15–16) — swollen leaf midrib or petiole, green or yellowish-green; usually causes midrib of leaf to bend. Collected in June, September, October, January and April. No adult gall-inducers were reared from this gall type; only unidentified cynipid inquilines (Synergini) and parasitoids from the superfamily Chalcidoidea were reared. However, remains of larval gall inducers were dissected from this gall type.

Distribution: Currently known only from California, USA.

Andricus notholithocarpi (midrib gall)

Synonymy (1)

Related Galls (1)

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Further Information (2)