Galls

Rackensack Canyon is a great area for gall-hunting. While most species have been observed on scrub oak (Quercus turbinella), there are numerous other taxa hosting galls induced by insects, mites, scales, fungi, and in one case a virus.

This is a tally of those found so far, by host. All are insects unless noted:

Scrub oak (Quercus turbinella):
Andricus prescottii
Andricus reticulatus
Andricus ruginosus
Andricus scutella
Andricus tubularius
Andricus wheeleri
Atrusca capronae
Callirhytis juvenca
Cynips acraspiformis
Disholcaspis pedunculoides
Disholcaspis rubens
Disholcaspis spissa
Neuroterus aliceae
Neuroterus alexandrae
Neuroterus lamellae
Phylloteras cupella
Xanthoteras eburneum
All the above are members of the oak gall wasp tribe, Cynipini. In addition, the scale insect Allokermes sp. forms hard-shelled gall-like structures on scrub oak stems.

Net-leaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata):
Aceria celtis (mite)
Ampelovirus (virus)
Pachypsylla celtidisvesicula
Pachypsylla pallida

Cottonwood (Populus fremontii):
Pachypsylla venusta

Catclaw acacia (Senegalia greggii):
Ravenelia (fungus)
Tanaostigmodes howardii

Arizona (redberry) juniper (Juniperus arizonica):
Walshomyia juniperina

Burrobrush (Ambrosia monogyra):
Craspedolepta lapsus

There are also some unidentified or unnamed critters:
On desert broom (Baccharis sarothroides), this one and this one.
On tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), this one, possibly in the genus Rhopalomyia
On red-gland spurge (Euphorbia melanadenia), a tubular gall similar to those I've found on Euphorbia polycarpa)

Posted on Ιούνιος 27, 2023 1203 ΠΜ by stevejones