Euura monile

Euura parva

Euura resinicola

Euura salicispisum

Euura bruneri

Euura pacifica

Euura salicispomum

Euura atra

Euura proxima

Euura californica

Euura gracilis

Euura salicisdesmodioides

Euura pyriformis

Pontania monile, new species

Gall. — Gall occurring on the leaves of willow. Collected at the mouth of the American Fork Canon, Utah, by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, June 29, 1891. 

Smooth, globular, fleshy galls, 6 to 8 mm. in diameter, occurring from 2 to together in a row on the underside of the midrib of willow leaf. The area of attachment is about one-half the greatest diameter of the gall, and on the upper side of the leaf appears as a slight convexity. When closely placed, the galls lose somewhat of the spherical shape, but rarely grow together. The larva begins eating out the interior of the gall near the base, and is rather robust, 10 mm. in length, with light, resinous head and dark eye-spots; light, yellowish- white body. 

An exactly similar gall, except occurring 1 or 2 together, is represented in the collection, bearing the label January 10, 1884, without locality. It was collected in a later stage of development, and the interior is completely excavated. In most cases the larva had abandoned the gall, issuing near the base. The specimens probably came from the Northwest. A gall similar to the last was also received from Mr. Lawrence Bruner, Robinson's Ranch, Wyoming, collected September 15, 1881, with the statement that it occurred on the leaves of Populus angustifolia. Examination of the leaves seems to indicate that they are willow rather than poplar, and the gall may be doubtfully referred to the type described above.

Pontania parva

Nematus parvus

Gall. — Length 8 mm.; breadth 6 mm. Of type of desmodioides, but rather smaller and projecting most on lower surface of leaf. In the specimen examined, two occur on the leaf, one on either side of the midrib, and each extends from the latter to the margin of the leaf. Surface, especially lower, tuberculate and rosy. Exit hole of adult on lower side, just at surface of leaf and at end next to petiole. 

Ten females. — Nevada 4, California 3, Oregon 2, and Arizona and Montana 1 each. (Coll. Am. Ent. Soc.) Also one specimen collected by T. Kincaid at Olympia, Wash. (Coll. Cornell Univ.) One male from California. (Coll. Am. Ent. Soc.) Galls on willow leaf collected by Mr. Ehrhorn, Mountain View, Cal. Two adults reared, which, with galls, are in collection of William H. Ashmead.

Pontania resinicola, new species

Gall. — (Frontispiece, fig. 1.) On leaves of Salix californica [eastwoodiae] collected by Albert Koebele at Donner, Placer County, Cal., September 5, 1885. The galls occur in clusters of two to eight on the basal portion of the leaf, beginning usually at the very apex of the petiole. They are commonly paired — if but two, one on either side, or two or four on a side, as the case may be — occasionally occurring singly. In general size and appearance the individual galls resemble those of desmodioides, but are rather more robust or globular, projecting equally on both sides of the leaf and occupying the leaf entirely from the midrib to the edge. Where two or more occur together, they are merged into each other, forming a com- pound gall. In color they are red or pink on the upper side and light yellowish green on the lower. The larva is large and rather robust, indicating a fairly good-sized insect. I have doubtfully referred the gall to Pontania resinicola, the largest Californian representative of the genus, although the galls from which the adults were reared by Mr. Koebele were not saved by him and the ones sent to Washington yielded only an ichneumonid parasite (Bassus euurae) and a tortricid.

Pontania pisum

Nematus salicis pisum
Nematus quercicola
Nematus pisum

"Gall. — The gall made by it is found on Salix discolor. A subspherical, pea-like, hollow, pale yellowish-green gall, always growing on the underside of the leaf and almost always from one of the side veins (in one case from the midrib), and attached to the leaf by only a minute portion of its surface; 0.18 to 0.28 inch in diameter, and a few, immature, only 0.08 inch in diameter. Almost invariably there is but one gall to the leaf, but on four leaves there were two, and occasionally two are confluent. Surface in some smooth and even, without pubescence; in others a little shriveled, generally studded in the medium-sized ones with four to twelve small, robustly conical nipples, which in the larger ones have burst into a scabrous blown scar. Only in three out of sixty-two was there any rosy cheek, as in S. pomum. The point of attachment is marked on the upper side of the leaf by a brown subhemispherical depression.

Range: IL, NY

Pontania bruneri, new species

Gall. — (Frontispiece, fig. 7.) Galls occurring singly on the edges of the leaves of Salix longifolia [exigua], having the form and general characteristics of the gall of P. desmodioides. Length from 7 to 10 mm.; smooth, fleshy gall, extending from the midrib considerably beyond the narrow, linear leaf, with a prominent and distinct suture indicating what was the edge of the leaf; in color yellowish, inclined to reddish. Three females, reared from galls collected by Lawrence Bruner on Robinson's ranch, Wyoming, September 15, 1881. The galls at this time were mostly abandoned, only six of them still containing larvae. Adults issued between February 18 and March 3, 1882. (Coll. U. S. Nat. Mus.)

Pontania pacifica new species

[Only an adult female description is given]

Range: southern CA

Pontania pomum

Nematus salicis pomum
Nematus hospes
Pontania hospes

Gall. — (Frontispiece, fig. 4.) The gall S. pomum found on Salix cordata [per Zinovjev, this is eriocephala] and very rarely on S. discolor. A smooth, fleshy, sessile, globular, or slightly oval monothalamous gall, like a miniature apple, 0.30 to 0.55 inch diameter, growing on one side of the midrib of a leaf, and extending to its edge or beyond it. The principal part of the gall projects from the under side of the leaf; very rarely it is bisected by the leaf. Color greenish yellow, sometimes with a rosy cheek, especially the upper surface, and often with little dots. Fully mature July 31. An analogous gall is formed in Europe on various willows by Nematus gallicola Westw.

Range: IL

Pontania atra, new species

[Only a description of an adult female is given]

Range: MI

Pontania hyalina

Messa hyalina

Gall. — (Frontispiece, fig 2.) Fleshy galls, occurring in two parallel rows, one on either side of the midrib, sometimes touching but not originating from the latter, and rarely extending to the edge of the leaf; sometimes as many as twenty on a single leaf; in other cases confined to a row on one side of the leaf, or occasionally occurring singly; shape irregular, elongate-ovate, projecting equally on both surfaces of the leaf; length 7 to 10 mm., the abortive ones smaller. Color on upper side more or less brownish red; beneath white, with slight purplish tinge. The galls result from the punctures of the females in the very tenderest leaves, the wound closing and becoming invisible. The eggs and larvae are subject to the attacks of mites, Thrips, a curculionid (Anthonomus sycophanta Walsh), and a lepidopterous larva which eats out the entire interior of the gall, tenthredinid larva and all.

Many specimens. New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Canada. (Colls. Am. Ent. Soc. and U. S. Nat. Mus.) 

Galls: Boscawen, N. H., C. V. Riley, collector, July 16-25, 1883, "on Salix fragilis, a large tree, 50 to 70 feet high, with a rough bark and trunk, smooth branches, and galls very plentiful on younger leaves all over the tree." The adults were obtained between April 29 and May 21, 1881 ; also chalcidid and other parasites. 

Magnolia, Mass., July 10, 1883; gallmaker not reared. Hymenopterous parasites issued July 20, 1883. 

Richfield Springs, N. Y., Theo. Pergande, collector, February 8, 1880; adults issued March 3 to April 21, 1887; also chalcidid parasites and a dipterous guest fly. 

Pittsburg, Pa., J. C. Leach, collector, July 25, 1891. 

Pointe au Pic, Quebec, Canada, E. Corning, collector, August 28,1891.

Pontania californica, new species

Gall. — Gall of the type desmodioides, not differing in the dried specimens in any noticeable manner from the latter. Length 8 to 12 mm. Normally but one gall occurs on a leaf. The galls were received from Mr. H. T. Turner, Eastlake, Cal., August 26, 1883, and the adults issued between September 18, 1883, and March 24, 1884. 

Nine females and 3 males, 8 of which — 6 females and 2 males — were reared from willow-leaf galls collected by Mr. Turner in California. (Coll. U. S. Nat, Mus.) 

One male collected at Alameda, Cal., in March by Mr. Koebele, and the others collected in Southern California, (Colls. U. S. Nat, Mus. and Am. Ent. Soc.)

Pontania gracilis, new species

Gall. Galls somewhat similar to desmodioides, but much more robust, nearly spherical, extending from midrib to considerably beyond edge of leaf; diameter 9 to 13 mm.; surface smooth. 

Galls collected in Virginia by Mr. Pergande September 29, 1885; adults issued April 19 and 29, 1886. 

Two females. Virginia. (Coll. U. S. Nat. Mus.)

Pontania desmodioides

Nematus salicis desmodioides
Nematus inquilinus

Gall. — The gall is found on S. humilis. It is smooth, flattish, fleshy, sessile, yellowish green, monothalamous, semicircular in general shape like the seed of a Desmodium or the quarter of an orange. It is about equally divided between the two surfaces of the leaf; no rosy cheek. Generally there is but one gall on a leaf; one leaf was seen with three upon it. Length 0.23 to 0.50 inch. One hundred and thirty-one specimens. Gall mature July 30. 

Galls probably belonging to this species have been received from the following localities: Lafayette, Ind., F. M. Webster, August 15, 1890, from which were obtained two parasites, Sympiesis sp. and Murytoma studiosa Say, supposed to be parasitic on Anthonomus sycophanta Walsh ; Eichfield Springs, N. Y., Th. Pergande, collector, September 28, 1886. Cadet, Mo., J. G. Barlow, collector, September 24, 1890. 

Pontania pyriformis new species

Gall. —Galls occurring on leaves of Salix californica(?) [eastwoodiae]. Collected by Albert Koebele, Donner, Placer County, Cal., September 5, 1885. Galls occur on the underside of the leaf, attached to or near the midrib, usually singly, but sometimes two separately on the leaf, or more frequently partly coalescing, in which case one is usually abortive. They are pear shaped, attached rather broadly (1/4 to 1/2 greatest diameter) at the larger end, and rather acutely pointed, sometimes slightly curved at tip, or more rarely bifurcate. They consist of a mere shell, containing with the larva very little frass, as though the larva had subsisted more on secretions than on the solid interior of the gall — the gall giving now no indication of ever having been fleshy and solid. The full-grown larva escapes through the base of the gall at its point of attachment, emerging, therefore, on the upper side of the leaf. The larva is white, with light-brown head and black eye-spots, 7 to 8 mm. long. Six specimens of Pimpla euurae Ashm. were reared, but no gall-flies.

Revision of the Nematina of North America, a Sub-family of Leaf-feeding Hymenoptera of the Family Tenthredinidae