Aulacidea acroptilonica Tyurebaev, 1972

Gall. Spindle-like, lignified formations on the stem, 25-50 mm long and 20 mm in diameter. The gall size depends on the number of larval chambers (from 1 to 30). A single larval chamber nearly rounded, 3.0 mm in diameter, with smooth surface. Galls develop on all parts of the stem, from the ground-surface up to the flower (Kovalev & Diakontschuk 1986).

Host plant. Acroptilon repens (L.) DC. (Asteraceae) is the only known host plant; probably can induce galls on a closely related species, A. australe Iljin. (Kovalev & Diakontschuk 1986).

Biology. Majority of larvae overwintering in the gall, pupate in March-April; adults emerge by the end of April (Middle Asia) – beginning of May (Kazakhstan and Ukraine) (Zerova, Diakontschuk & Ermolenko 1988); part of adults in Iran emerge in early summer.

Distribution. Iran, Azerbaijan-e Gharbi province (vicinities of Urmia) (Melika & Karimpour 2008), Lorestan (Zalian) (Karimpour et al. 2008). Ukraine (southern part only), European part of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan (Zerova, Diakontschuk & Ermolenko 1988, Kovalev & Diakontschuk 1986).

- George Melika, Younes Karimpour: (2012) Herb gallwasp fauna of Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Aylacini)^©