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Neuroterus fragilis

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Neuroterus fragilis
Adult male Neuroterus fragilis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Cynipidae
Genus: Neuroterus
Species:
N. fragilis
Binomial name
Neuroterus fragilis
Bassett, 1900

Neuroterus fragilis, also known as the succulent gall wasp, is a species of oak gall wasp. It induces galls in oak trees in California, including leather oak, California scrub oak, blue oak, and valley oak.[1][2] Adults are small, 0.7–1.2 millimetres (0.028–0.047 in), with yellow legs.[3] The galls it induces are 10–30 millimetres (0.39–1.18 in), and present as swellings of the petioles and midribs of oak leaves. In this species of oak gall wasp, only the spring bisexual generation, consisting of both males and females, is known. However, an all-female parthenogenic generation in summer, which most oak gall wasps have, is possible.[1]

Line drawing of oak leaves with galls, which look like lumps or swellings
An illustration of N. fragilis galls by Edna Libby Beutenmüller

References

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  1. ^ a b Russo, Ronald A. (2021). Plant galls of the Western United States. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 299–300. ISBN 978-0-691-21340-8. OCLC 1239984577.
  2. ^ Perea, Ramón; Dirzo, Rodolfo; Bieler, Stephanie; Wilson Fernandes, Geraldo (2021-01-06). "Incidence of Galls on Sympatric California Oaks: Ecological and Physiological Perspectives". Diversity. 13 (1): 20. doi:10.3390/d13010020. ISSN 1424-2818.
  3. ^ Kinsey, Alfred C. (June 1923). "The gall wasp genus Neuroterus (Hymenoptera)". Indiana University Studies. 10 (58): 108.
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