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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #411938
Research Project: Systematics of Beetles, Flies, Moths and Wasps with an Emphasis on Agricultural Pests, Invasive Species, Biological Control Agents, and Food Security

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Key to the North American tribes and genera of herb, rose, bramble, and inquiline gall wasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Cynipidae sensu lato)

Author
item NASTASI, LOUIS - Pennsylvania State University
item Buffington, Matthew
item DAVIS, CHARLES - Rice University
item DEANS, A. - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: ZooKeys
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2024
Publication Date: 3/24/2024
Citation: Nastasi, L., Buffington, M.L., Davis, C., Deans, A.R. 2024. Key to the North American tribes and genera of herb, rose, bramble, and inquiline gall wasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Cynipidae sensu lato) . ZooKeys. 1196:177-207. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1196.118460.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1196.118460

Interpretive Summary: Identification keys are essential to understanding biological diversity and the role that diversity plays in the lives of Americans. Here we present a new identification key to gall wasps that live on herbaceous plants in North America. Cup plant and compass plant, both grown for biofuels in the midwest, are attacked by these wasps. Using this key, biocontrol agents and extension agents for USDA and universities will be able to, for the first time, correclty and quickly identify these wasps.

Technical Abstract: Robust keys exist for the family-level groups of Cynipoidea. However, for most regions of the world, keys to genera are not available. To address this gap as it applies to North America, we provide a fully illustrated key to facilitate identification of the tribes and genera of rose gall, herb gall, and inquiline gall wasps known from the region. For each taxon covered, we provide a preliminary diagnosis and an updated overview of taxonomy, biology, distribution, and natural history.