Species Heteroecus melanoderma - Golden Gall Wasp

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Identification · Print References

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon ("Parasitica" - Parasitoid Wasps)

Superfamily Cynipoidea

Family Cynipidae (Gall Wasps)

Tribe Cynipini (Oak Gall Wasps)

Genus Heteroecus

Species melanoderma (Golden Gall Wasp)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Heteroecus melanoderma Kinsey 1922

Identification

This wasp galls Quercus chrysolepis (canyon live oak) and Quercus vacciniifolia (huckleberry oak) in California.

Note that the hairs are shorter than those on Heteroecus dasydactyli. One way to tell the difference between the two types of galls, if you aren't sure, is to rub off the hairs. They easily rub off of H. dasydactyli leaving a shiny, smooth gall surface. They do not easily rub off of H. melanoderma.

Print References

Field Guide to Plant Galls of California and Other Western States by Ron Russo

Cynipid Galls of the Pacific Slope by Lewis H. Weld

Contributed by Joyce Gross on 25 September, 2017 - 1:21pm

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