Andricus lucidus ( Hartig, 1843 )

Shachar, Einat, Melika, George, Inbar, Moshe & Dorchin, Netta, 2018, The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history, Zootaxa 4521 (4), pp. 451-498 : 464

Andricus lucidus ( Hartig, 1843)

Host plants. Israel: Q. boissieri . Elsewhere: several species from section Quercus .

Life history. Recent rearing experiments ( Walker 2002) and unpublished molecular data showed that the sexual generation of this species is the taxon previously known as Andricus aestivalis . The asexual generation induces small to medium, spherical bud galls, up to 25 mm in diameter ( Fig. 5 ). The gall is composed of short, straight and blunt lobes of up to 6 mm in length and is multi-chambered. Young galls are light green or reddishpurple and sticky, turning brown, woody and not sticky when mature. Old galls remain on the trees for several years and often lose the lobes. The sexual generation is known from Europe, where it induces big, rosette-like catkin galls, up to 25 mm in diameter on Q. cerris .

Phenology. Galls of the asexual generation begin to develop in August and adults emerge from them in January-February.

Distribution. Israel: Mt. Hermon 1780 m a.s.l. and 1500 m a.s.l., Odem Forest, En Zivan, Allone HaBashan, Tel Hazeqa, Mt. Meron, Mt. Adir. Elsewhere: widespread from Southern France to Iran.

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Galls on Quercus boissieri. 5. Andricus lucidus, asexual generation (arrow) and Andricus moreae, asexual generation (bottom); 6. Andricus cecconii, asexual generation; 7. Andricus caputmedusae, asexual generation, young gall; 8. Andricus caputmedusae, asexual generation, mature gall; 9. Andricus grossulariae, asexual generation; 10. Andricus hystrix, asexual generation.