Neuroterus aliceae Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov.
Asexual generation

[Photo on page 100 of the pdf]

Diagnosis. Neuroterus alicae belongs to Kinsey’s subgenus Diplobius. The asexual generation of Neuroterus aliceae induces dehiscent leaf galls on Q. oblongifolia. The only previously known Neuroterus species from the US southwest to induce detachable leaf galls, N. argentatus Weld, 1944 asexual generation, induces small, flat, rounded spangle galls on the underside of the leaves of Q. gambelii, Q. oblongifolia and Q. turbinella, which are obviously different from the aggregated brown fluffy leaf galls induced by N. aliceae.

Gall. (Fig. 367). Brown fluffy leaf galls, consisting of an aggregated group of larval chambers ≥ 5 mm across, on midrib on the underside of leaf. Covered in a dense, somewhat woolly, coat of reddish-brown hairs. Similar in structure to Andricus pattoni (Bassett, 1881) from Florida.

Biology. Alternate asexual and sexual generations are known, both of which induce galls on Q. oblongifolia. Sexual catkin galls mature in April, adults emerge soon afterwards. The asexual fluffy leaf galls mature in October- November; adults overwinter in the galls and emerge the following spring. Distribution. USA, Arizona, Santa Catalina Mountains

- George Melika, James Nicholls, Warren Abrahamson, Eileen Buss, Graham Stone: (2021) New species of Nearctic oak gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipini)^©