Neuroterus anthracinus Curtis, 1838

Host plants. Israel: Q. boissieri, Q. ithaburensis . Elsewere: mostly on oaks from section Quercus but also on species from section Cerris.

Life history. Both generations are known but in Israel only the asexual generation was found so far. It induces single-chambered leaf galls which constitute small, ovoid sturctures, 1.5–3 mm long and up to 2 mm wide, wrapped between two thin, wing-like extensions (Figs 31, 66). They are yellow to green and shiny when young, and develop purple or red dots as they mature and then drop from the leaf, leaving the ‘wings’ behind. The sexual generation develops in single-chambered, lateral or terminal bud galls, usually gregarious (2–6 galls in one group), rounded or slightly ovate, 2 mm long and 1.5 mm in diameter when mature, green or yellowish, smooth, often with distorted leaves attached to the side or tip of the gall.

Phenology. Galls of the asexual generation appear in late August, mature by September, drop to the ground, and adults emerge from them the following spring. Galls of the sexual generation develop rapidly in Europe and adults emerge from them in May-June.

Distribution. Israel: Widespread and common throughout the distribution range of Q. boissieri . Elsewhere: Common and locally abundant throughout most of Europe to Crimea, Turkey and Iran.

Comments. Sternlicht (1968b) referred to this species as Andricus ostreus, a name that was later synonymized under Neuroterus anthracinus (Pujade-Villar et al. 1998) .