Amphibolips nigra

Cynipidae

Amphibolips

Quercus eduardii

Quercus emoryi

Arizona

New Mexico

Texas

Quercus hypoleucoides

Quercus sideroxyla

Cynipid galls of the southwest

Amphibolips niger (agamic)

Amphibolips nigra, sp. nov.

[only a female described]

Habitat: Durango, Mexico. February 1-7, 1897 (Dr. Edward Palmer). 

Three new species of Cynipidae (Hym.).

Amphibolips nigra Beutenmuller

Gall.--On the twigs of a species of oak; monothalamous; densely wooley and about the size of a small peach, and also somewhat the colour of this fruit, especially those on the trees suffering from peach-yellows, probably white when fresh and tinged with pink. It contains a hard, thick-shelled, oval cell about the size of a bean. Diameter 22-50 mm.

Habitat.--Durango, Mexico. The adults emerged from January 30th to February 8th, 1897.

Descriptions of new Cynipidae (1917)

Amphibolips nigra

Globose, densely woolly, peach-like twig gall. Diameter 22 to 50 mm.

Key to American Insect Galls

Amphibolips nigra Beutenmueller

This species, whose gall was described as on an unknown oak in Durango, Mexico, occurs in AZ where the writer has collected galls on Quercus emoryi and Q. hypoleuca. The writer has not reared adults. Seventeen of the types range from 5.2-6.3 mm, Average 5.6 mm.

Field notes on gall-inhabiting cynipid wasps with descriptions of new species

Amphibolips niger
Agamic form

Gall. — Yellow tan and (quite abundantly) rosy russet, brighter when fresh, weathering darker; averaging distinctly small, up to 33, mm. (up to 50. mm. ace. Beutenmuller), but averaging nearer 25. mm. in diameter. 

Host. — Quercus Incarnata [sideroxyla], a tree form of black oak with entire or undulately toothed leaves. Replaced on other black oaks in the same area by A. jubatus. 

Range. — Durango: Otinapa, 8500b «Durango» (city or state?) (types). Known only from this one area in the southwestern portion of Durango, but probably extending elsewhere in this part of the Sierra, wherever the host, Q. incarnata, is to be found. 

Life History. — Adults: January 30. February 1-8. April 15, 22, 27, 

This species, niger, belongs in the nebris-niger-pistrix series of species, and not to the elatus-jubatus-maturus branch of this complex — even though niger and jabacus may occur in the same localities in the state of Durango. See the discussion under elatus for the distinctions between the two chains, and under elatus for the differences between niger and jubatus. Niger is separable from nebris in its gall very distinctly smaller. From pistrix, niger is distinguishable by its much smaller galls. 

New Mexican gall wasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae). II

Amphibolips nigra Beut.

Quercus emoryi, hypoleuca [hypoleucoides]
Stem galls
detachable
Fig 60.

A. niger Beutenmüller 1909 (originally named as A. nigra)

Revision of the Amphibolips species of the 'nassa' complex from Mexico and central America (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

Amphibolips nigra Beutenmüller, 1911a: 198, agam. Primer registro: San José de Gracia, 10/08/2019, Q. eduardii, I. 
Montoya leg. (MEX601).