Andricus sphaericus Pujade-Villar, 2016
Andricus sphaericus Pujade-Villar, In Pujade-Villar et al.
(2016d: 16)

Gall (Figs. 4e-g). The formation of this gall results from swelling of the central and/or secondary leaf veins. Occasionally, the leaf almost entirely disappears. The gall is globular (0.7-1.6 mm in diameter), plurilocular, and hard, with a central navel on top that may disappear when the gall is large. It is light green when young and dark green to black when mature. The surface has light brown, star-shaped trichomes. The gall contains 5-15 larval chambers, measuring 3x1 mm, distributed radially and separated by hard, woody tissue.

Hosts. Quercus deserticola Trelease, 1924, Quercus glabrescens Bentham, 1840, Q. laeta, Q. obtusata and Q. rugosa (Quercus section).

Biology. Only the sexual form is known. Adults emerge from late May to mid-July.

Distribution. Reported for Mexico City (including Santa Fe on Q. rugosa), as well as for the State of Mexico, Nuevo León, and Puebla (Pujade-Villar et al. 2016a; Lobato-Vila and Pujade-Villar 2019).

Andricus sphaericus Pujade-Villar, 2016

[When describing the species, we thought that Andricus sphaericus could be a rare or occasional species, since it was not collected by Kinsey. But the data we provide in this study indicate that it is an abundant species that is found on several species of oak in the sect. Quercus: Q deserticola, glabrescens, laeta, obtusata, and rugosa. We also expand its distribution, having also collected it in the state of Puelba.]

Andricus sphaericus Pujade-Villar n. sp.

[Gall (Fig 5a-c) photos show galls very similar to those of Andricus quercuspetiolicola]. Globular (0.7-1.6 mm in diameter), plurilocular and hard. It is the result of a swelling of the midrib and/or secondary veins of the leaf; sometimes the leaf disappears completely. Light green in color when young and dark green to black at maturity. The surface is covered in light brown stellate trichomes. The gall contains between 5-15 larval chambers, each 3 x 1 mm, distributed radially, separated by a hard woody tissue.

Host. Q rugosa and obtusata

Distribution. Mexico (Mexico DF)

Biology. Only the sexual generation is known. The adults emerge from the end of May to the middle of July.]