Amphibolips fusus

Amphibolips dampfi (sexgen)

Amphibolips nassa

Amphibolips palmeri (agamic)

Amphibolips hidalgoensis (agamic)

Amphibolips zacatecaensis

Amphibolips durangensis

Amphibolips jaliscensis (sexgen)

Amphibolips oaxacae (sexgen)

Amphibolips nevadensis (sexgen)

Amphibolips tarasco (sexgen)

Amphibolips michoacaensis (sexgen)

Amphibolips nebris (agamic)

Amphibolips fusus Kinsey

Distribution: Zacatecas: Cantuna 

Host: Quercus eduardi 

Gall. A slender to globose, spindle-shaped oak apple, with the tip and base quite fine. A photograph of the gall was provided in Melika et al. (2011). 

Life history. Unknown; only females reared from galls in November. 

Comments This species was regarded by Melika et al. (2011) as very similar to A. zacatecaensis. However, the forewing patterns of the two species are quite different, which is a character that seems to be mistaken or overlooked by that authors. According to the coloration pattern of the forewing and shape of the gall, we consider this species to be more closely allied with the Panamanian species A. aliciae Medianero & Nieves-Aldrey 2010. One female that we reared from a globose, apically pointed gall collected in Nuevo León presented a similar forewing pattern (Fig. 21B) and could be identified as A. fusus, or more likely, a different closely allied species because of slight differences in the forewing patterns (Fig. 12F). However, other morphological characters are not well differentiated in this specimen, and it is not possible to come to a conclusion regarding its taxonomic status. We also collected galls similar to those of A. fusus in Monterrey and Nuevo León (Figs. 20E, 20F), but we unfortunately did not rear any adults from these galls. 

Amphibolips dampfi Kinsey

Host: Quercus ocoteifolia, a synonym of Q. laurina

Gall. A spongy oak apple similar to that of the American A. confluentus (Harris). More or less spherical, thin-shelled, spongy interior dense though soft, larvae central or nearer the base of the gall, galls up to 48 mm in diameter, detachable, on twigs. 

Biology Bisexual; galls mature by February, and adults emerge between February and April

Distribution: Oaxaca, Sierra Juarez

Amphibolips nassa Kinsey

Gall: A rather large, globose but slightly spindle-shaped oak apple with a fine tip and base. Body of gall quite globose. A photography of the gall was provided by Melika et al. (2011). 

Distribution: Michoacán, Purépero on Quercus mexicana and Q. castanea (= Q. serrulata). 

Comments Based on its forewing pattern and gall, A. nassa is very similar to the recently described Amphibolips zacatecaensis Melika & Pujade-Villar 2011. The galls of A. nassa and A. zacatecaensis are quite similar, but Melika et al. (2011) noted that the galls of A. nassa are more elongate and fusiform, with a hard lignified parenchyma, while the galls of A. zacatecaensis are globose, with a soft spongy parenchyma. After our analysis, we consider A. nassa to be more similar to the new species A. oaxacae described here, with the two species being differentiated by their coloration, relative emargination of the mesoscutellum and shape of the gall. 

Amphibolips palmeri Basset 1890

This species is cited as the largest known species of gall fly and “oak apple gall” (Beutenmüller 1909). It was described from materials collected in Sierra Madre, Chihuahua, and Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. This species was apparently overlooked by Kinsey in his work addressing the Amphibolips of Mexico (Kinsey 1937).

It was not possible to find the type material. However, we reproduce the description provided by Beutenmüller (1909), which is diagnostic with regard to the forewing colour pattern. 

Gall. Produced on twigs of an unidentified Quercus species [Quercus mexicana added as a placeholder]. Spherical, with a wrinkly surface with a few scattered very short projections. Internally, the gall is of a spongy consistency. A central rounded larval cell is embedded in the soft internal tissue. 

Comments. According to Melika et al. (2011), this species may be a synonym of A. dampfi. In our opinion, however, although the galls of the two species are similar, the descriptions of the forewing colour patterns of the two species are not in accordance. Thus, we maintain the status of A. palmeri as a good species

Amphibolips hidalgoensis Pujade-Villar & Melika 2011

Distribution: Hidalgo state 

[Photos of this gall appear on page 36 of the pdf]

Gall (Figs 18A, 18B). Spherical, diameter up to 6.5 cm, thin walled, with a smooth and naked surface a with soft, spongious parenchyma and radiating filaments supporting the single central larval cell (Melika et al. 2011). 

Host: Quercus crassipes and Q. crassifolia 

Life history. Only females are known. According Melika et al. (2011), they may represent the asexual generation

Amphibolips malinche sp. nov.

Gall (Figs 19C, 19D). A globular, irregular oak apple gall. Monothalamic; outer shell thin and internally exhibiting a spongy consistency, filling the entire gall. Found on twigs of Quercus mexicana.

Distribution. A. malinche was found at 2800 m a.s.l. at La Malinche volcano, Tlaxcala state, Mexico.

Biology. Presumably a sexual generation, but males were not reared. The galls were collected in late June, and the insects emerged in July.

Amphibolips zacatecaensis 

[A photo of this gall appears on page 36 of the pdf]

Because the two species [zacatecaensis and [Amphibolips fusus](https://www.gallformers.org/gall/2559)] share morphologically similar galls, the only difference between them may be the inner consistency of the gall, which presents a soft, spongious parenchyma, whereas it is hard and lignified in A. nassa (Melika pers. comm.).

Distribution: Zacatecas state 

Gall. Large, globose to slightly spindle shaped, with a nipple at the top (Fig. 18E). The gall is thin walled, very lightweight, internally showing a soft spongious consistency. Internally, the gall exhibits a single hard-walled central larval cell (Melika et al. 2011). 

Host. Quercus eduardi 

Life History. Unknown

Amphibolips durangensis sp. nov. [both durangensis and duraguensis appear in the description]

[Photos of this gall appear on page 36 of the pdf]

Gall (Figs.18C, 18D). A spindle-shaped gall with an elongated and narrow tip and base. Longitudinally, the surface of the gall is crossed by longitudinal ridges. The gall is monothalamic; the outer shell is thin but firm; internally, it has a spongy consistency, filling the entire gall (Fig. 18D). The larval cell is rounded and is embedded in the soft internal substance. Diameter of 54 x 43 mm on average). Forms on twigs of Quercus scytophylla. The gall closely resembles that of Amphibolips fusus Kinsey 1937, also described from Mexico, and was illustrated recently by Melike et al. (2012). However, the gall of A. duranguensis differs from the gall of A. fusus due to its much more elongated and narrow points, both at the tip and at base. Another difference is the gall surface, which is smooth in the gall of A. fusus, without longitudinal ridges. 

Distribution. A. duranguensis was found at 1900 m a.s.l. in Durango state, Mexico. 

Biology. Only females of the presumably sexual generation are known. The galls were collected in July, and the insects emerged in October. 

Amphibolips jaliscensis sp. nov.

Gall (Figs 19A, 19B). A globular oak apple gall. Monothalamic; outer shell thin and internally showing a spongy consistency, filling the entire gall. Grows on twigs of Quercus sp. aff candicans. 

Distribution. A. jaliscensis was found at 2370 m a.s.l. at Jalisco state, Mexico.

Biology. Exhibits a sexual generation; both males and females are known. The galls were collected in late March, and the insects emerged in April. 

Amphibolips oaxacae sp. nov.

[A photo of this gall appears on page 36 of the pdf]

Gall (Fig. 18F). A regularly spherical, large oak apple gall measuring approximately 40 mm in diameter. Pale green with darker green spots when fresh. The gall is monothalamic; the outer shell is thin but firm; with a spongy consistency internally, filling the entire gall. The larval cell is rounded and is embedded in the soft internal substance. Forming on twigs of Quercus sp. aff sapotifolia. The gall closely resembles that of Amphibolips palmeri Basset 1890, also described from Mexico, but for which the host is unknown. 

Distribution. A. oaxacae was found at 1180 m a.s.l. in Oaxaca State, Mexico. 

Biology. Only females of the presumably sexual generation are known. The galls were collected in March, and the insects emerged in the same month. 

Amphibolips nevadensis sp. nov.

Gall (Figs 19E, 19F). A globular gall ending in a obtuse apical point. Monothalamic. Grows on twigs of Quercus candicans. 

Distribution. A. nevadensis was found at 2300 m a.s.l. at Nevado Colima, Jalisco state, Mexico. 

Biology. Exhibits a sexual generation. The galls were collected in March, and the male adults emerged in April. The female was collected in August

Amphibolips tarasco sp. nov.

[Photos of this gall appear on page 38 of the pdf]

Gall (Figs 20C, 20D). A large, regularly spherical, oak apple gall. The surface of gall is smooth, green with darker green spots when fresh. Monothalamic. Grows on twigs of Quercus castanea. 

Distribution. A. tarasco was found at 2000 m a.s.l. at Santa María, Michoacán state, Mexico. 

Biology. Includes a sexual generation. The galls were collected in March, and the adults emerged shortly after the galls were collected.

Amphibolips michoacaensis sp. nov.

[Photos of this gall appear on page 38 of the pdf]

Gall (Figs 20A, 20B). A globular more or less regular gall with spongy interior Monothalamic. Grows on twigs of Quercus castanea or nearer the base of the gall, galls up to 48 mm in diameter, detachable, on twigs. 

Distribution. A. michoacaensis was found at Umécuaro and other sites of Cuenca of Cuitzeo at 2100 m at Michoacán state, Mexico. 

Biology. Exhibits a sexual generation. The galls were collected in April, and the adults emerged in May.

Amphibolips nebris Kinsey

Host: Quercus eduardi

Range: Chihuahua, Parral

Gall: Of the type of galls of the “niger complex”: a large densely wooly mass containing a hard woody core in which the larval cell is located (Kinsey 1937; Melika et al. 2011). In A. nebris the gall is large, up to 70 mm; color yellow tan and rosy russet (Kinsey 1937). 

Comments The characters of this species are representative of those shared by the species of the “niger complex” (Kinsey 1937), being the most important the 16 segmented antennae, mesoscutellum not emarginated posteriorly, sculpture on mesoscutum not coarsely rugose and forewing less heavily infuscate, which together with its morphologically different galls readily differentiates this species from the remaining Mexican species studied herein.

Revision of the Amphibolips species of Mexico excluding the “niger complex” Kinsey (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), with description of seven new species