The oak gall wasps of Israel (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Cynipini) - diversity, distribution and life history Shachar, Einat Melika, George Inbar, Moshe Dorchin, Netta Zootaxa 2018 2018-11-16 4521 4 451 498 VTL 75141 Hartig 1840 [151,262,1301,1327] Insecta Cynipidae Andricus GBIF Animalia Hymenoptera 17 468 Arthropoda genus   Host plants. Israel:  Q. libaniand  Q. cerris.  Life history.Known only from the delicate, single-chambered leaf galls of the sexual generation, which are composed of an oval purple chamber that is carried on a long stalk for a total length of 8–11 mm( Fig. 69).   Phenology.Young galls were observed in April and a single female of the sexual generation emerged in May.   Distribution. Known only from Israel: common on some trees on Mt. Hermon at 1780 m.a.s.l. and more rare at 1500 m.a.s.l. and on Mt. Kahal.   Comments.Similar galls in Europe that develop in catkins of oaks from section  Quercusbelong to  A. alniensisFolliot,  A. amentiGiraud,  A. callidomaHartig,  A. malpighii(Adler)and  A. seminationis(Giraud) ( Melika 2006b). However, the single adult we reared in Israeldiffers morphologically from those of the European species and is found on leaves of an oak from section Cerris. Together with preliminary molecular data (Shachar, unpublished) this suggests that the Israeli population represents a distinct species despite the similar gall morphology. A formal description of this species will be published elsewhere once more adults are reared.