Rhopalomyia

Dorchin, Netta, Mcevoy, Miles V., Dowling, Todd A., Abrahamson, Warren G. & Moore, Joseph G., 2009, Revision of the goldenrod-galling Rhopalomyia species (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in North America, Zootaxa 2152, pp. 1-35 : 33

Rhopalomyia sp.

Adult: unknown.

Pupa: unknown.

Host: Solidago gigantea

Gall and biology: Galls of this species ( Figs. 66–67 ) are very similar in shape and size to galls of R. clarkei on S. rugosa , but are much rarer and are smooth rather than hairy. They are 2–3.3 mm long and 0.5–0.7 wide at widest part, green, sometimes with dark longitudinal lines, and most were found on the upper side of leaves. Due to the scarcity of the galls and to high parasitism rates we were unable to rear adults from them, but a molecular analysis based on larvae indicated that this species differs from R. clarkei (Dorchin et al., in prep.). Some galls were found on leaves composing the bud galls of Dasineura folliculi on S. gigantea and there is no reason to believe they do not occur also on modified leaves of the rosette gall induced by R. capitata on the same host plant. If this is indeed the case, then these galls may actually be those of R. inquisitor , which was reported by Felt (1908) as an inquiline in R. capitata galls (see details under R. inquisitor ).

Figures

FIGURES 62 – 69. Rhopalomyia leaf and stem galls. Figs. 62 – 64. Rhopalomyia clarkei galls on Solidago rugosa; 62. Young gall. 63. Mature galls. 64. Galls on underside of leaf. 65. Rhopalomyia clarkei galls on stem and leaf of Solidago altissima (photo by M. Wise). Figs. 66 – 67. Rhopalomyia sp. galls on leaves of Solidago gigantea; 66. Very young galls. 67. Mature gall. Figs. 68 – 69. Rhopalomyia gina galls on leaves of Solidago juncea. 68. Gall on upper side of leaf. 69. Tail-like appendage of gall on underside of leaf.