Polystepha serrata

Polystepha quercifolia

Polystepha pustulata

Polystepha simpla

Polystepha podagrae

Polystepha globosa

Polystepha americana

Polystepha pilulae

Polystepha symmetrica

Polystepha sobrina

Polystepha pustuloides

Cincticornia serrata

This species was reared in June 1908 from circular blister galls on scarlet oak, Quercus coccinea, taken near Boston MA.

Gall: The dark brown, broadly yellow-margined blister gall is circular and about 3 mm in diameter. The galls occur here and there upon the leaf.

Cincticornia quercifolia

This was reared in the bureau of entomology from a flat gall on red oak, Quercus rubra, leaves collected in the District of Columbia, adults appearing April 1 to 27, 1896.

Cincticornia pustulata

This species was reared in some numbers in the latter part of April and early in May 1909 from oval, pustulate swellings on the leaves of the black oak Quercus velutina, taken in MA in October 1908. Apparently the same species was reared March 30 1896 from a similar leaf gall on red oak, Quercus rubra, taken at DC.

Gall. This is a variable brown, irregularly oval, pustulate swelling 5 to 6 mm in diameter. It occurs here and there on the leaf surface.

Cincticornia simpla

The oval blister galls on oak produced by this species are so insignificant as rarely to attract the attention of any but those specially interested in the study of insect galls. This species was reared in small numbers from several lots of galls taken on Quercus velutina in MA and also from blister swellings on the leaves of red oak, Quercus rubra, taken in the vicinity of Albany NY.

Gall. An irregularly oval pustulate swelling 5 to 6 mm in diameter and showing equally on both surfaces but with no distinct nipple. The galls are a variable brown in the fall, darker than the normal tissue and occur here and there on the leaf. Apparently the same species produces a slightly green or variable yellowish and red elevation on both surfaces of the leaf some 5 by 7 mm in diameter. Several larvae occur in the cavity beneath. 

Cincticornia podagrae

This species was reared in small numbers in April 1908 from a narrow, fusiform vein swelling on the leaves of Quercus velutina in MA in October 1908.

Gall. This is a narrow, dark purplish, fusifom, thin-walled swelling some 8 mm long on the under side of the mid or lateral veins and may contain two or more orange larvae.

Cincticornia globosa

This dark-brown species with short, relatively broad wings was reared in some numbers from a subhemispheric, brown, slightly nippled, oak leaf gall on black oak, probably Quercus velutina, in April and May 1909 from material collected by Miss Cora H. Clarke at Magnolia, Mass., in October 1908. Apparently the same gall was taken by Miss Clarke on the scarlet oak, Quercus coccinea. A very similar oak leaf gall may produce a Cynipid. 

Gall. Subhemispheric, brown, slightly nippled, 1.75 mm in diameter. It is monothalamous, occurs on the under side of the leaf and causes on its upper surface a slight, brownish elevation encircled by yellowish orange. 

Cincticornia americana

This small, broad- winged form was reared in April 1908 from a slight blisterlike swelling on the lateral veins of red oak, Quercus rubra taken at Albany, N. Y., November 12, 1907. 

Gall. The gall is a slight, circular, blisterlike swelling on the lateral veins beneath and of very nearly the same color as the leaf. It is some 3 mm long and 1 mm wide, and may extend along the vein as well as into the leaf tissues beside. 

Cincticornia pilulae

This species appears to be one of the commonest representatives of the genus. The gall is by no means rare on various species of oak in the vicinity of Albany and in other parts of the country. It is presumable that all of the citations given above relate to this form, though we have reared Cynipids from galls supposed to be made by Cincticornia on several occasions. It would not be surprising if the work of two very dissimilar insects had been confounded occasionally. The late Dr M. T. Thompson of Clark University records the appearance of the young gall at Worcester, Mass., the second week in June, while Professor Beutenmueller states that in the vicinity of New York City it begins to develop in May and becomes full size by August or September. At first it is blister- like, yellow or pale brown and surrounded by a light-green ring. The full-grown gall varies greatly in size, ranging from about 3 to 6 or 7 mm in diameter and presents a characteristic reticulated appearance. The insect winters in the gall, the larvae escape and form silk-lined cells among leaves or in the soil prior to trans- formation. The late Doctor Thompson records having taken this gall on Quercus ilicifolia, Q. rubra, Q. coccinea, Q. stellata and Q. palustris. It also occurs on Q. falcata, Q. velutina and Q. nigra. Professor Beutenmueller states that it is found on various species belonging to the red oak group. Galls of this species were received from Riverdale, Md. through Dr W. L. McAtee accompanied by the statement that flocks of sparrows were observed opening the galls and eating the larvae. 

There is in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., a gall labeled Cecidomyia palustris O. S. The deformity described by him (Ent. Soc. Phil. Proa, 1 1252 and 4:359) is most probably the work of a Cincticornia and may be only a modified form of C. pilulae Walsh. 

The adult of what may have been this species was briefly characterized by Dr A. S. Packard in the 5th Report of the U. S. Entomological Commission. The characters given are insufficient for the recognition of the species and it is possible that Doctor Packard was misled and characterized an inquiline or some form issuing from other material. We were fortunate in rearing a large series of adults in the spring of 1909. Midges of this species were obtained in numbers by the late Dr M. T. Thompson of Worcester, Mass., from material collected in that vicinity. It was taken by Prof. C. W. Johnson May 19, 1901 at Clementon, N. J., April 26, 1896 in Delaware county, Pa., and was reared from galls on Quercus nigra and Q. rubra taken at Washington, D. C, in March and April 1896 by the bureau of entomology. These specimens, while presenting some minor variations among them- selves, are probably all referable to one species. This midge appears to be widely distributed, having been recorded, in addition to the localities given above, from Mississippi, Indiana, Illinois and Rhode Island. 

Gall. Reddish brown, coarsely reticulate, thick walled, irregularly subglobose, 3 to 4 mm in diameter, somewhat depressed or fused to form lobulate masses 1 cm or more in length. The galls may occur scatteringly on the leaves or be present in large numbers, there being from 1 to 4 or 5 up to possibly 75 on a leaf. On badly infested leaves the galls may be confluent, and occasionally a considerable number adhere to form an almost continuous mass on one or both sides of the midvein. The young galls are fleshy while the old ones are very hard and woody. Normally but one larva occurs in the typical gall, though three or four are frequently present in a confluent mass. 

Cincticornia symmetrica

This deformity has been described by Osten Sacken as a hard, red gall on the leaves of different kinds of oak. It is small and round, between one-twentieth and one-tenth of an inch in diameter, though more commonly assuming an irregular shape by the coalescence of several galls. He states that this gall occurs in large numbers on the leaves of Quercus falcata in autumn, sometimes occupying almost the entire leaf and having exactly the same size and shape on both surfaces. A study of the types of this gall in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, showed that it was very close to, if not identical with, that of Cincticornia pilulae. Beutenmueller states that it differs from the more common C. pilulae by protruding equally on both surfaces of the leaf, and adds that it has not been found in the vicinity of New York City. The larvae in the collections of the United States National Museum and labeled as having come from this gall, belong to the genus Cincticornia and possibly may be different from those of C. pilulae. It is provisionally placed next this common species. 

Cincticornia sobrina

Gall. An inconspicuous, circular, blister enlargement showing mostly on the under surface of the leaf and varying in diameter from 3 to 5 mm. 

Adults of this form were first reared by the late Dr M. T. Thompson of Clark University, Worcester, Mass., from a vial containing earth brought into the laboratory for the purpose of. rearing Tineids. It was then thought that they might have come from some seed, possibly elm keys. Subsequent rearings in April 191 1 resulted in obtaining numerous flies, referable with little question to this species, from the leaves of the black oak, Quercus velutina, and probably those of other species, thickly infested with an inconspicuous, circular, blister gall. 

Cincticornia pustuloides

This species is with very little question referable to Cincticornia. The gall is circular, blisterlike and protrudes slightly on each side of the leaf. It measures 4 to 7 mm in diameter and occurs in September in clusters on the leaves of various kinds of oaks. 

31st Report of the State Entomologist on Injurious and Other Insects of the State of New York