Aulacidea hieracii (Bouche, 1834)

Nastasi, Louis F. & Deans, Andrew R., 2024, Aulacidea manchuria Nastasi sp. nov., a new herb gall wasp from China (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Aulacideini), with commentary on hawkweed (Asteraceae: Hieraciinae) gall wasps, Zootaxa 5492 (4), pp. 582-588 : 584

Key to Eastern Palearctic females of the Aulacidea hieracii group

A complete key to the Aulacidea hieracii group is beyond the scope of this work due to widespread taxonomic issues (see discussion). As a result, we have opted to provide a key for only females of species known in the Eastern Palearctic. We have ensured that the included characters work for all specimens of these species we have examined at present, although employing this restriction did reduce the characters available for use in couplet 3. Further revisionary studies of the Aulacidea hieracii group would be needed to produce a more robust key to all species.

1. F1 equal to F2 ( Fig. 1A & 1C ). F2 without apparent placodeal sensilla ( Fig. 1A )............. manchuria Nastasi sp. nov.

- F1 not equal to F2; F1 either shorter or longer. F2 with apparent placodeal sensilla................................. 2

2. Mesoscutellar foveae subquadrate. POL longer than OOL. Galls on stems of Hieracium or leaves of Pilosella ............ 3

- Mesoscutellar foveae transversely subtriangular to subovate. POL equal to OOL. Galls on stolons of Pilosella .......................................................................................... subterminalis Niblett, 1946

3. POL twice LOL. Galls on stems of Hieracium ............................................ hieracii ( Bouché, 1834)

- POL less than twice LOL. Galls on leaves of Pilosella ..................................... pilosellae ( Kieffer, 1901)

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aulacidea manchuria Nastasi sp. nov., holotype female (CASENT 8520652). A: lateral habitus. B: head, dorsal. C: proximal antennomeres. D: mesosoma, dorsal.