Andricus aciculatus

Quercus lyrata, stellata
Stem galls, detachable
A many-celled woody mass covered with dense white or reddish wool, in the fall.

[Photo caption]
On Q lyrata. Also on Q stellata and durandii [sinuata]. Adults emerged the next spring.

Andricus aciculatus sp. nov.

Gall.--On the side of a twig of post oak (Quercus minor [stellata]) in March. Polythalamous. Elongate, irregular, hard and woody swelling, with the base broadly attached to the twig. Covered with a compact mass of white wooly substance, which is sometimes tinged with red or brown. The wool forms a rounded or almost globular mass on one side of the branch. Length 15 to 20 mm. Diameter, 12 to 20 mm. Height, 10 to 16 mm.

Habitat: TX

Striatoandricus aciculatus (Beutenmüller, 1909), comb. nov.

Andricus aciculatus Beutenmüller, 1909

Striatoandricus aciculatus was first described based on specimens reared in College Station, TX from post oak (Quercus minor (Marshall) Sarg. = Q. stellata) (Beutenmüller 1909b), and have also been reported from Quercus durandii Buckley (= Quercus sinuata Walter) and Quercus lyrata Walter (Weld 1959). This species fits the morpho- logical characteristics of Striatoandricus such as the striated metasoma (Figs. 23–25), and is therefore transferred herein. Similar galls have been observed on iNaturalist across multiple US states surrounding the Gulf of Mexico (e.g. on Quercus austrina Small, iNaturalist observation 94165953), but specimens are needed to confirm the true range of S. aciculatus.