Pontania gracilis, new species

Gall. Galls somewhat similar to desmodioides, but much more robust, nearly spherical, extending from midrib to considerably beyond edge of leaf; diameter 9 to 13 mm.; surface smooth.

Galls collected in Virginia by Mr. Pergande September 29, 1885; adults issued April 19 and 29, 1886.

Two females. Virginia. (Coll. U. S. Nat. Mus.)

Pontania gracilis

Salix
Leaf galls

Similar to preceding ["Flattish yellow-green, length .25 to .5 inch"], more robust, nearly spherical, sawfly, spring

Pontania gracilis

Type locality: Virginia

Host plant: Salix sericea

Notes. — This is a valid species of Pontania (Eupontania). The description of P. gracilis larvae and biology by Dyar (1897b) refers to P. petiolaridis Rohwer. A typical gall of this species is shown in Fig. 3 (from Otsego Co., N.Y., collected by AGZ and R. Fritz).

Eupontania gracilis

Pontania demissa, n. syn.

Type locality. — Ithaca, New York.

Valid name. — Eupontania gracilis (Mar- latt 1896) (= Pontania demissa Mac- Gillivray), n. syn.

Notes. — Larvae and galls were described by Yuasa (1922) as P. demissa MacGillivray 1921 (Y- 191- 1-1). We have not seen larval material with this number. Pontania demissa could be treated either as synonym of Eupontania gracilis (Marlatt 1896) or E. petiolaridis (Rohwer 1917). Both these species are associated with different willow species: Salix sericea Marsh., and Salix petiolaris Smith, respectively. These sawflies are very similar, and they might prove to be conspecific. Both willow species occur in the vicinity of Ithaca, and, at least in herbarium material studied by AGZ, the galls are known also from both host plants. However, Salix sericea seem to be more common there and galls only on this willow were found in the fall of 1997 around Ithaca by AGZ and T Carr. The type of Pontania demissa fits best the type material of E. gracilis, and we consider them as synonymous.