Xanthoteras clavuloides (agamic)

Andricus quercusfrondosus (agamic)

Xanthoteras pulchellum (sexgen)

Disholandricus truckeensis (agamic)

Feron kingi (agamic)

Zapatella quercusmedullae (agamic)

Feron kingi (sexgen)

Xanthoteras clavuloides, new combination

Cynips clavula (preoccupied)
Dryophanta clavula
Cynips teres var. clavuloides (new name for Cynips clavula)

Weld (1951) placed this unisexual species in Antron, but because clavuloides has a malar groove, it keys to the bisexual generation of Xanthoteras in Weld’s (1957) generic key to western U.S. cynipids. The absence of a malar groove in Antron is a major separation feature from Xanthoteras in this key, at least for the bisexual generation. Weld obviously recognized the proper generic assignment of clavuloides because it is in his unpublished ms. key to the species of Xanthoteras (under the name clavula). 

The separation of Xanthoteras from Antron on the basis of the malar groove may work for the bisexual generation, but it is not entirely satisfactory for unisexual forms. Xanthoteras teres Weld, a unisexual, micropter- ous species, does not have a malar groove, but it seems closely related to X. clavuloides, a macropterous species, on the basis of a bristly ventral abdominal spine, and similar brown, club-shaped galls. Clearly the generic limits of Antron and Xanthoteras are in need of study. 

Although homonymy between Beutenmuller’s and Osten Sacken’s species no longer exists, Kinsey’s name clavuloides must be used under the provisions of Art. 59 of the Code. Beutenmuller described clavula from galls and “twelve specimens from Napa and Sonoma Counties.” There are 59 adults in the USNM labeled Sonoma Co., 11 of which bear “type” or “cotype” labels. We have chosen the best of the “type” specimens as the lectotype. There is no material labeled Napa County. 

Andricus quercusfrondosus, new status

Cynips quercus frondosa
Andricus flavohirtus

The synonymy of these two names was noted by Weld (1959:42) who continued to use Beutenmuller’s name for the species, probably because he regarded Bassett’s name, based solely on the gall, as a nomen nudum. However, Bassett’s name is available (Art. 24 b (iii)). The synonymy was not included in the second supplement to the Hymenoptera Catalog (Weld, 1967). 

Although much of Bassett’s collection is housed in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, part or all of his type galls of quercusfrondosa are in the USNM. Bassett did not give a locality for his species nor is one indicated with the galls, but presumably they originated in Connecticut. Comparison of Bassett’s galls with those of flavohirtus Beutenmiiller shows that Weld’s synonymy is correct. We have selected one of Bassett’s galls as lectotype.

Bassett’s original description is usually cited as 1864, but a footnote on pages 684-685 is dated Jan. 28, 1865. Thus the latter year is the correct date for quercusfrondosus . 

Xanthoteras pulchellum

Dryophanta pulchella
Trigonaspis obconica (new synonymy)

In 1930 Weld noted this synonymy on a determination label on material in the USNM, and later in his manuscript key to the species of Xanthoteras, but it has never been published. Our examination of the types confirms the synonymy. Beutenmuller described pulchella from two females, one from Santa Catalina Island, and one from Hood River, Oregon, both in the USNM. We have selected the California specimen as lectotype. 

Andricus truckeensis, new combination

Holcaspis truckeensis
Disholcaspis truckeensis

The notauli are complete in truckeensis which indicates that this species is more properly placed in Andricus than Disholcaspis, the latter genus being its most recent assignment. Andricus truckeensis is similar to three other species in the genus which have a pubescent thorax, a blurt bristly ovipositor spine, and which occur on oaks of the subgenus Protobalanus: lasius (Ashmead), reniformis McCracken & Egbert, and spectabilis Kinsey (see generic key in Weld, 1957). McCracken & Egbert (1922) suggested that reniformis might be only a variety of truckeensis. Additional studies may indicate that these four species should be placed in a new genus. 

The type galls of truckeensis bear the rearing number 3769 which indicates that they were sent to Ashmead by Koebele in 1885. They cannot be the galls from which the two adults were reared because the wasps have labels dated 1880. Furthermore, according to Ashmead his two females were reared from galls sent by Comstock (rearing #731). The Koebele galls appear to belong to another western species, A. reniformis McCracken & Egbert. Also in the USNM collection there are larger, more ovoid, smooth contoured, tan galls from Quercus chrysolepis Leibm. collected by Weld at Kyburz and Idyll wild, California, inside of which he found wasps identical with Ashmead’s adults of truckeensis. Weld (1957, fig. 80) figured this gall. 

Status of Liodora dumosae and Andricus kingi

After some rearing experiments which yielded bisexual adults from galls identified as Liodora dumosae, Rosenthal and Koehler (1971) reached the conclusion that dumosae and Andricus kingi Bassett, 1900, were the alternate generations of a single species. Dailey has examined the material of Rosenthal and Koehler’s study (CIS) and found that they misidentified their wasp. The specimens are not dumosae, but are the previously unknown bisexual generation of kingi. The complete scutal notauli and short, straight tip of the galls distinguish the sexual form of kingi from that of dumosae. 

Callirhytis quercusmedullae

Cynips quercus medullae
Andricus cryptus

Weld noted this synonymy in his unpublished manuscript key to the species of Callirhytis, but it has not been established in print. We have examined the types of both species and confirm Weld’s synonymy. Two of Ashmead’s four syntypes of quercusmedullae and one of his two syntypes of crypta are extant in the USNM. Lectotype labels have been applied to one of the former and the single specimen of the latter. 

The conspicuously swollen twigs from which the types of quercusmedullae emerged are quite different from the slender twig which produced the types of crypta (see figures 134 and 162 in Weld, 1959). This difference may have been caused by the presence of the inquiline, Synergus medullae Ashmead, in the galls of C. quercusmedullae. It is known that inquilines can cause modification of the host gall, as happens for example in galls of the bisexual generation of an undescribed Californian species of Callirhytis inhabited by Synergus digressus McCracken & Egbert. 

Status of Liodora dumosae Weld, 1957, and Andricus kingi Bassett, 1900 

After some rearing experiments which yielded bisexual adults from galls identified as Liodora dumosae, Rosenthal and Koehler (1971) reached the conclusion that dumosae and Andricus kingi Bassett, 1900, were the alternate generations of a single species. Dailey has examined the material of Rosenthal and Koehler’s study (CIS) and found that they misidentified their wasp. The specimens are not dumosae, but are the previously unknown bisexual generation of kingi. The complete scutal notauli and short, straight tip of the galls distinguish the sexual form of kingi from that of dumosae. Evans’ (1972) rearing studies indicated that Liodora dumosae and Andricus pattersonae Fullaway, 1911, were the alternate generations of one species. He transferred pattersonae to the genus Liodora. Some of Evans’ paratypes (CAS) have been compared with Weld’s paratypes (USNM), and they are the same species.

Nomenclatorial notes on North American Cynipidae (Hymenoptera)