Bassettia ligni KINSEY, 1922

Melika, G & Abrahamson, WG, 2007, Review Of The Nearctic Gallwasp Species Of The Genus Bassettia Ashmead, 1887, With Description Of New Species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 53 (2), pp. 131-148 : 139-140

Bassettia ligni KINSEY, 1922

( Fig. 8 )

Bassettia ligni KINSEY 1922: 291 . Female, gall. ROSENTHAL & KOEHLER 1971, EVANS 1972 – description of the sexual generation, biology.

Type material examined – Holotype female “Galt Calif. 3-29-20”, “ Q. Douglasii, Kinsey Coll.”, red “ Bassettia ligni, Holo-Cotype ” (Holo- is handwritten), 3 paratype females “Galt Calif. 3-29-20”, “ Q. Douglasii, Kinsey Coll.”, red “ Bassettia ligni , Paratype ”.

Other material examined – 3 females on 2 pins with “Corvallis Or. April 1930 ”, handwritten “ Bassettia ligni det. Weld 32”. In the USNM .

Diagnosis – The asexual female of this species is similar to the asexual female of B. pallida , however, in B. ligni the mesosoma is nearly 1.5 times as long as high in lateral view while in B. pallida the mesosoma is at least 2.0 times as long as high in lateral view. The sexual female similar to B. gemmae (see Diagnosis for B. gemmae ). The males of B. ligni have a mesoscutum nearly as long as broad from above, scutellar foveae large, separated by a distinct carina, while in B. archboldi , the mesoscutum is longer than broad, scutellar foveae are very narrow, the median carina absent or indistinct.

Biology – Alternate asexual and sexual generations are known. The asexual generation induces integral leaf galls while the sexual generation stimulates stem galls on Q. douglasii HOOK. et ARN., Q. dumosa NUTT., and Q. lobata NEE ( Fig. 8 ). The adults of the sexual generation emerge from leaf galls during June to mid-July; the adults of the asexual generation emerge from the bark during mid-April ( EVANS 1972).

Distribution – USA: California, Oregon.

Figures

Figs 1–8. 1–2 = Bassettia pallida, head: 1 = from above, 2 = front view. 3–4 = Plagiotrochus quercusilicis, head:3 = from above, 4 =front view. 5 = Bassettia tenuana, fore wing. 6–7 = propodeum:6 = B.