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Palaearctic oak gallwasps galling oaks (Quercus) in the section Cerris: Re-appraisal of generic limits, with descriptions of new genera and species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini)

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We discuss the taxonomy of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) whose lifecycle involves only Palaearctic oaks (Quercus subgen. Quercus) in the section Cerris. Recent phylogenetic reconstructions support a deep split between such Cerris-associated species in the genera Aphelonyx, Dryocosmus, Plagiotrochus, Neuroterus, Pseudoneuroterus and species and genera associated with oaks in the section Quercus sensu stricto. We reappraise the generic limits of the Cerris-associated genera, proposing new limits for Dryocosmus, Pseudoneuroterus and Neuroterus, establishing a new genus Cerroneuroterus, elevating Latuspina to a genus level, reestablishing the genera Chilaspis and Trichagalma and proposed new species name combinations. We provide a new key to oak gallwasp genera of the Palaearctic and keys to all species of genera associated with Cerris section oaks. We describe five new species, Aphelonyx kordestanica, Trichagalma formosana, Dryocosmus jungalii, Pseudoneuroterus mazandarani, and P. nichollsi.
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... The family Cynipidae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) includes about 1,400 gall-inhabiting wasp species worldwide, distributed mainly throughout the Holarctic region (Nieves-Aldrey 2001; Stone et al. 2002;Csóka et al. 2005;Melika 2006b; Avtzis et al. 2018;Hearn et al. 2024), with the vast majority belonging to the tribe Cynipini and strictly associated with Fagaceae host plants, primarily of the genus Quercus. Within the Cynipini, the small genus Cerroneuroterus Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2010 was established as a consequence of morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies that demonstrated the polyphyly of the genus Neuroterus Hartig, 1840. This genus, along with the re-established genera Pseudoneuroterus Kinsey, 1923, Trichagalma Mayr, 1907and Latuspina Monzen, 1954 includes those species previously placed in Neuroterus that are exclusively associated with Quercus section Cerris oaks Melika et al. 2010). ...
... Within the Cynipini, the small genus Cerroneuroterus Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2010 was established as a consequence of morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies that demonstrated the polyphyly of the genus Neuroterus Hartig, 1840. This genus, along with the re-established genera Pseudoneuroterus Kinsey, 1923, Trichagalma Mayr, 1907and Latuspina Monzen, 1954 includes those species previously placed in Neuroterus that are exclusively associated with Quercus section Cerris oaks Melika et al. 2010). ...
... At the present time, the genus Cerroneuroterus includes six Western Palaearctic species: C. aggregatus (Wachtl, 1880), C. obtectus (Wachtl, 1880), C. lanuginosus (Giraud, 1859), C. minutulus (Giraud, 1859), C. apenninus (Trotter, 1923) and C. gyulaigaraiae (Melika, 2006a); plus four Eastern Palaearctic species: C. folimargo (Monzen, 1954), C. monzeni (Dettmer, 1934); C. japonicus (Ashmead, 1904) (= C. vonkuenburgi (Dettmer, 1934)) and C. yukawamasudai Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2020(Melika et al. 2010Pujade-Villar et al. 2020;Cerasa et al. 2021;Lobato-Vila et al. 2022; see Table 1 for a summary of their biology). Of the 173 species of Cynipidae reported from Italy, four belong to the genus Cerroneuroterus: C. lanuginosus, C. aggregatus, C. minutulus and C. apenninus Cerasa et al. 2021). ...
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The life cycle of Cerroneuroterus minutulus (Giraud, 1859), a species previously known only from its asexual generation, is closed. Our study demonstrates that C. minutulus exhibits the heterogony typical of Cynipini species, with alternating sexual and asexual generations. The identity of the sexual generation is demonstrated by laboratory experiments and confirmed by molecular data, with Cerroneuroterus aggregatus (Wachtl, 1880) determined to be the sexual generation, and junior synonym, of Cerroneuroterus minutulus (Giraud, 1859). Illustrations and diagnoses for adults and galls, observations on biology and distribution information are provided as is a detailed redescription of the sexual generation of C. minutulus.
... The implementation of molecular studies into genuslevel revisions is progressively reshaping the taxonomy of Cynipini into monophyletic groups. Among the genera undergoing taxonomic adjustments in the Americas, the genus Disholcaspis Dalla Torre & Kieffer, 1910 contained several morphologically distinct species groups and has now diverged into five different genera: Kinseyella Pujade-Villar & Melika, 2010, 2012, Protobalandricus , Burnettweldia Pujade-Villar, Melika & Nicholls, 2021, Disholandricus Melika Pujade-Villar & Nicholls, 2021, and Nichollsiella Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2021(Melika et al. 2021b. ...
... The terminology used to describe gall wasp morphology follows other recent cynipid studies (Melika 2006;Liljeblad et al. 2008;Melika et al. 2010). Abbreviations for fore wing venation follow Ronquist & Nordlander (1989), and cuticular surface terminology follows Harris (1979). ...
... The wings are typically single-veined. The ovipositor of the female, which serves to deposit the eggs, usually protrudes beyond the metasoma (Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) [4,5,6]. ...
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Reproduction of gall wasps is partially by sexual reproduction and partially by parthenogenesis, where the male is completely unnecessary. As in many species, however, there is an alternation of generations with one to two sexual generations and one parthenogenetic generation annually. This process differentiates the various generations in their appearance and in the way they induce the galls. The larvae of many species develop gallant characteristics; and many species are tenants or parasites of other gall wasps, such as those of the genus Synergus. This mini review aims to verify the importance of Cynipidae Family ornamental and food plants. To this end, a bibliographic survey of Cynipidae was carried out in the years 1937 to 2021. Only complete articles published in scientific journals and expanded abstracts presented at national and international scientific events.
... The terminology used to describe gall wasp morphology follows other recent cynipid studies (Melika 2006;Liljeblad et al. 2008;Melika et al. 2010). Abbreviations for forewing venation follow Ronquist & Nordlander (1989), and cuticular surface terminology follows Harris (1979). ...
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... We followed the current terminology and abbreviations for morphological structures (Fergusson 1995;liljeblad & ronquist 1998;Melika 2006;Melika et al. 2010), antennal morphology and sensillar description (Polidori & Nieves-Aldrey 2014), forewing venation (ronquist & Nordlander 1989), cuticular surface sculpture (Harris 1979) and microsculpture (Eady 1968). Measurements and abbreviations used here include: F1-F12, 1st and subsequent flagellomeres; Pol (post-ocellar distance) is the distance between the inner margins of the posterior ocelli; ool (ocellar-ocular distance) is the distance from the outer edge of a posterior ocellus to the inner margin of the compound eye; lol is the distance between lateral and frontal ocelli; the diameter of a median or lateral ocellus is along its major axis; tsa, transscutal articulation. ...
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... All new taxa are supported by morphological data. The terminology used to describe gall wasp morphology follows other recent cynipid studies (Liljeblad et al. 2008, Melika 2006, Melika et al. 2010) and cuticular surface terminology follows Harris (1979). Measurements and abbreviations used here include: F1-F12 for the 1st and subsequent flagellomeres; POL (post-ocellar distance) for the distance between the inner margins of the posterior ocelli; OOL (ocellar-ocular distance) for the distance from the outer edge of a posterior ocellus to the inner margin of the compound eye; and LOL (lateral-frontal ocelli distance) for the distance between lateral and frontal ocelli. ...
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