TWO NEW HERB GALL WASPS FROM SPAIN , INCLUDING THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF AULACIDEA ASHMEAD , 1897 ( HYMENOPTERA , CYNIPIDAE , “ AYLACINI ” ) INDUCING

J. L. Nieves-Aldrey. 2012. Two new herb gall wasps from Spain, including the description of a new species of Aulacidea Ashmead, 1897 (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, “Aylacini”) inducing galls on Serratula nudicaulis L. DC (Asteraceae). Graellsia, 68(2): 325-339. Two new species of herb gall wasps are recorded from Spain, which induce galls on flower heads of Serratula nudicaulis L. DC (Asteraceae). Isocolus serratulae (Mayr, 1882) is recorded for the first time in Spain, while a new species of Aulacidea Ashmead, 1897, Aulacidea pilarae sp. n., is described. This new species is similar to Aulacidea serratulae Diakontschuk, 1984, which is found throughout Oriental Europe. However, those two congeneric species may be distinguished by the morphology of the adults.


Introduction
While the great majority of gall wasps, commonly known as oak gall wasps (Hymenoptera Cynipidae, Cynipini), induce galls on plants of the Fagaceae family, (predominantly on Quercus spp) other species, which are classified within the tribe "Aylacini", induce galls on herbs and shrubs of the families Asteraceae, Papaveraceae, Lamiaceae, Valerianaceae and Rosaceae.Phylogenetic analyses have found strong evidence that the tribe is not monophyletic, unlike the tribes Diplolepidini (rose gall wasps) or Cynipini (oak gall wasps).However until a new classification of the Cynipidae is formally proposed, this group is still in use.With regard to the estimated world diversity of this cynipid group, Liljeblad (2002) listed 21 genera and 157 species; more recently, Melika (2006) reduced these numbers to 18 genera and 122 species based on newly proposed synonymies.These numbers have increased in recent years primarily because of descriptions of new herb gall wasp species from Iran, the Middle East and the Iberian Peninsula (Melika & Gharei, 2006;Takavoli & Melika, 2006;Nieves-Aldrey et al., 2008, Karimpour et al., 2008).The "Aylacini" is a tribe with a predominantly Palaearctic distribution.The Western European aylacin genera were revised by Nieves-Aldrey (1994), who later revised the species of the Iberian Peninsula (Nieves-Aldrey, 2001).In the latter work, 33 species were listed, while new species were later added to the Iberian list, resulting in a list of 40 species recorded from Iberia.
One of the primary, more distinctive and species-rich lineages within the "Aylacini" is the Isocolus Neaylax lineage (Liljeblad & Ronquist, 1998;Nylander et al., 2004), which includes two of the more representative aylacini genera, namely the Aulacidea Ashmead, 1897 and Isocolus Förster, 1869 genera.Both genera include species associated primarily with plants of the Asteraceae family.
3 Transferida a Neaylax (Melika, 2006).Con el símbolo (*) se señalan las especies de estatus cuestionable o dudoso.1, 2).These species represent 30% and 22%, respectively, of the Palaearctic diversity of these genera.In this study, two more species of herb gall wasps are added to the Iberian list of cynipids.These species were found in the Valle de Lozoya, a natural area in the Guadarrama mountains in Northern Madrid (Spain), galling flower heads of Serratula nudicaulis.Two aylacini species were reared from these galls; one of them, Isocolus serratulae (Mayr, 1882), had never been observed before in the Iberian peninsula.The second species, belonging to the genus Aulacidea, was an undescribed species.

Materials and Methods
The studied wasps were reared from galls collected in the field in Valle del Lozoya, Madrid, Spain.Adults emerged from galls in rearing cages under laboratory conditions.Freshly collected galls were dissected, and their contents (larvae and adults) were identified and photographed.Adult insects were dissected in 70% ethanol, air dried, mounted on a stub and coated with gold.Micrographs of several standardised views were taken with a scanning electron microscope (FEI QUANTA 200) using a high-vacuum technique.
Type specimens of the related species Aulacidea ascanica, Aulacidea serratulae and Aylax ascanica, synonymised with Isocolus serratulae by Melika (2006), borrowed from the Diakontschuk collection (George Melika) were also examined.For observation by SEM, these type specimens were not dissected but were instead directly observed using a low vacuum (voltage) technique, without coating.
Metapectal-propodeal complex.Metapleural sulcus meeting anterior margin of metapectalpropodeal complex at approximately mid-height of the latter.Lateral propodeal carinae broad and parallel.Lateral propodeal area smooth and densely pubescent; median propodeal area smooth and weakly pubescent.Nucha dorsally with some irregular longitudinal costulae.
Forewing.Radial cell 2.4 times longer than wide; open along anterior margin, R1 and Rs reaching margin of wing (Fig. 6D); Rs slightly bowed; areolet present; vein Rs+M weakly pigmented, but visible, are directed towards lower 1/3 of median vein.Apical margin of wing has a very short fringe of setae.
Metasoma (Fig. 2G).Second metasomal tergite basally with a lateral patch of setae.Micropunctures on metasomal tergites not quite visible, extended only from the posterior part of third metasomal tergite.
DISTRIBUTION.The species was described by Mayr (1882) from material collected by Rogenhofer on Serratula heterophylla (Desf.).However, the gall produced on this plant was not described (Nieves-Aldrey, 1994).Since the description, the species, including galls, has been found in the Ukraine by Zerova et al. (1988) and, more recently, under the name Aylax ascanica, which was synonymised with I. serratulae by Melika (2006).We were able to examine one female of A. ascanica identified as Isocolus serratulae by Melika and it is conspecific with the Iberian material of I. serratulae in most characteristics, except for the weaker convergent inner margins of the notauli and the fact that the septum anteriorly separating the scutellar foveae is not as wide in the Ukrainian specimen.
The record of I. serratulae in Spain greatly enlarges the distribution of this species in Europe.The host plant is also present in France and Italy, where this cynipid species may also reside.BIOLOGY.Aylax ascanica was recorded on flower heads of Serratula xeranthemoides M. B., Serratula radiata (Waldst & Kit.) and Serratula bracteifolia (Iljin) Stank, which were later assigned by Melika (2006) to Isocolus serratulae.
In the sole locality in which the species was found in Spain, the species is abundant in galling flower heads of Serratula nudicaulis.The achenes are transformed into unilocular oval galls with tough walls and then fused to form a solid mass.The galled mass remains enclosed by the flower head's involucral bracts during the winter (Figs.7C-D).DESCRIPTION.Body length, measured from anterior margin of head to posterior margin of metasoma, 2.6 mm (range, 2.5-2.8;N = 4) for females; 1.8 mm (range, 1.5-2.1;N = 8) for males.Coloration entirely black, excepting antennal flagellum, the coxae apically, apical half of femora and tarsi almost entirely, which are light brown.Forewing hyaline, with brown veins.Females and males have a similar coloration. Female.
Head in dorsal view about 2 times wider than long.Gena not expanded behind compound eye.POL 1.4 times longer than OOL, posterior ocellus separated from inner orbit of eye by about two times its diameter.Head in anterior view (Fig. 3A) rounded, 1.2 times wider than high, genae not expanded.Face with short white setae, sparsed medially on frons.Face with radiating carinae from clypeus, reaching ventral margin of eye and ventral margin of toruli; the carinae are absent on a broad band medially on the face (Fig. 3A).Clypeus square, ventral margin not projecting over mandibles.Anterior tentorial pits visible; epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal lines indistinct.Malar space 0.5 times height of compound eye.Toruli situated slightly below mid-height of compound eye; distance between antennal rim and compound as width of antennal socket including rim.Frons, vertex weakly coriaceous without punctures or carinae (Fig. 3A).Occiput coriaceous (Fig. 3B).Ocellar plate slightly raised.Gula relatively short; distance between occipital foramen and oral foramen no longer than the height of the occipital foramen.Hypostomal sulci meeting at the hypostomata (Fig. 3B).
Mesosoma.Pronotum weakly pubescent; with coriaceous sculpture.Ratio of length of pronotum medially/laterally = 0.45.Admedian pronotal depressions oval transverse, deep, open laterally, separated medially by a distance almost as broad as half an admedian depression (Fig. 3G).Posterior pronotal plate rectangular, sculptured and hairy as other parts of pronotum; ventral and lateral margins weakly marked.Spiracular incision of pronotum distinct.Mesoscutum (Fig. 4B) with weak alutaceous sculpture and weakly pubescent.Median mesoscutal impression strongly impressed, in posterior half of mesoscutum.Notauli complete, narrow anteriorly but broadly impressed in posterior half of mesoscutum.Anteroadmedian signa very shallowly impressed, almost indistinct.Mesoscutum and scutellum separated by a distinct transscutal fissure.Scutellar foveae smooth and shallow, large, ovate elongated posteriorly, measuring more than one third the lenght of scutellum; separated anteriorly by a broad septum; their inner posterior margins not strongly diverging posteriorly (Fig. 4B).Mesoscutellum in dorsal view about 0.8 times as long as mesoscutum; in lateral view, extending posteriorly slightly past dorsellum.Dorsal surface of scutellum, coriaceous reticulate medially; posteriorly and laterally the sculpture is strongly reticulate rugose.Axillula smooth and pubescent.Posterodorsal and posterior margins of axillula distinct.
Legs.Tarsal claw (Fig. 4F) virtually simple, but with base produced into a secondary very small acute tooth, measuring less than 1/8 of length of apical tooth.
Forewing (Fig. 6C).0.9 as long as body.Radial cell 2.6 times longer than wide; closed along anterior margin, but R1 sometimes narrower and slightly depigmented along marginal cell making it difficult to decide if the radial cell is closed or not (Fig. 6C); areolet present, small; vein Rs+M weakly pigmented, but visible, directed towards lower half of median vein.Apical margin of wing with a very short fringe of setae.
Metasoma (Figs 6C , 6D).1.2 times as long as head plus mesosoma.Third abdominal tergum covering about one fourth of metasoma, about 0.8 times as long as fourth; antero-medial area of third abdominal tergum with a hair patch.Fourth to seventh terga smooth and bare, with micropunctures well visible.Projecting part of hypopygial spine very short, shorter than basal height of spine; ventrally with one row of short hairs. Male.
Similar to female except as follows: Antenna 14-segmented (Figs.3E, 3F); pedicel as long as wide; F1 slightly curved and excavated in the middle.Placodeal sensillae present on all flagellomeres.Relative length of antennomeres: 17:10:15:18:19:20:18:18:17:16:15.14:12:20.Metasoma (Fig. 4E) smaller than that of female; T2 0.4 times as long as metasoma.GALL (Figs. 7A-H).Similarly to Isocolus serratulae, adult insects emerge from galls formed inside the flower heads of Serratula nudicaulis (Asteraceae) (Figs.7C-E).The achenes are transformed into unilocular oval galls with tough walls and then fused to form a solid mass.The galled mass remains enclosed by the flower head's involucral bracts during the winter.LIFE CYCLE.The life cycle is typically univoltine, as in most Aylacini.Reproduction appears to be bisexual as both males and females are observed.Adult gall wasps emerge in the spring when the host plant begins flowering.Galls develop and mature in June, and fully-grown larvae are found inside them in the summer.Insects overwinter as larvae inside the galls and pupate during the next spring.
DISTRIBUTION.The new species is only known to exist in the Lozoya Valley (Madrid, Central Spain).However, it is possible that a greater sampling effort could locate the species in other parts of the area of distribution of its host plant.The host plant, Serratula nudicaulis, is an herbaceous plant of submediterranean distribution and has been observed in Spain, France, Switzerland and Italy (Cantó, 1984).It has primarily been recorded in large areas of central, northern, and northeast Spain.In the Community of Madrid, it is not common, being recorded in montane areas on calcareous soils, such as the Lozoya valley.
ETYMOLOGY.Named after my beloved Pilar Rodríguez, a botanist with whom I share a love for plants and nature.
DIAGNOSIS AND IDENTIFICATION.The new species is closely similar to Aulacidea serratulae, which was recorded in the Ukraine, Far East of Russia and Kyrgyzstan, on Serratula bracteifolia; Serratula coronata L. and Serratula tianshanica L. (Diakont-schuk, 1984;Melika, 2006).The new species is readily distinguishable from A. serratulae as follows: F2 is 1.15 times longer than F1 in A. pilarae (about two times longer in A. serratulae according to the description and the figure illustrated in Melika (2006)).It should be noted, however, that according to the comparison with the type material, F2 is only slightly longer than F1 (Fig. 5C).The notauli and the median mesoscutal impression are much broader in the new species (Fig. 4B).The scutellum is medially convex, and the scutellar foveae are separated by a broader septum, whereas, in A. serratulae, the scutellum is concavous and with a visible medial impression, and the scutellar foveae are only slightly separated by a septum (Fig. 5A).Additionally, the tarsal claws have a small    Another Aulacidea species associated with Serratula species from Ukraine has been described: Aulacidea ascanica, which induces galls not in flower heads but in the slightly deformed stems of Serratula bracteifolia.I have examined one female paratype of this species.Their diagnostic characteristics are as follows (Figs.5B, 5D): F1 is as long as F2 (Fig. 5D); scutellar foveae rounded, and their anterior margins are in close contact; notauli are strongly convergent posteriorly and weakly separated at the transcutal fissure; the mesoscutal median impression is short and weakly visible; the lateral carina of the propodeum is long; the T3 of females is not micropunctate.The scutellar foveae in contact anteriorly, and the weakly indicated median mesoscutal impression, together with the different galls, readily distinguish Aulacidea ascanica from the new species described herein.
The adults of the new species differ from those of other related Aulacidea species recorded in the Iberian Peninsula, as follows (to be added to the identification keys in Nieves-Aldrey ( 2001)).
The long and narrow scutellar foveae, with inner margins widely divergent, the notauli faint or more weakly impressed anteriorly and F1 shorter than F2 show the similarity of A. pilarae with the Iberian species A. laurae and A. martae.However, the new species can be readily distinguished from these Iberian species by the much wider septum anteriorly separating the scutellar foveae and by the different host association (A.laurae galling achenes of Podospermum laciniatum while A. martae induces cryptic galls in stems of Launaea arborescens).Additionally, the new species is distinguished from A. laurae by the shape of the head.The head is not as narrow and high as A. laurae, and the clypeus is rectangular (it is subquadrate in A. laurae), while the long median mesoscutal impression, the black colouration (metasoma red in A. martae) and host plant data distinguish A. pilarae from A. martae.

Concluding remarks
Completing the list of 33 species of the tribe Aylacini that were recorded in the monograph of the Iberian Cynipidae (Nieves-Aldrey, 2001), new collecting trips and efforts to sample herb gall wasps in Spain have resulted in 7 new species added to the Iberian list, including the discovery of 4 new species (Nieves-Aldrey, 2002, 2003a, 2003b, 2004, 2005, 2008;Nieves-Aldrey & Parra, 2003;Nieves-Aldrey et al., 2004, 2008).With the two species added here to the list of Aylacini of the Iberian peninsula, the total number of species is 42, representing 32% of the world diversity of this group and 39% of the recorded Palaearctic species.There is, however, the potential for new discoveries of herb gall wasp species in Iberia because large areas of Spain and Portugal remain unexplored with regard to this cynipid group, and if sampling efforts on potential host plants are increased, it is likely that new species will be found.Potentially rewarding areas are the arid and steppe zones of Northeastern and Southeastern Spain, where the floristic composition is similar to that of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the Middle East, where the primary lineages of Aylacini are present in their greatest diversity.Biogeographical links between steppe insects in the Monegros region (NE Spain), the eastern Mediterranean, and central Asia have been demonstrated for many families and species of insects (Ribera & Blasco-Zumeta, 1988), which could also be the case for herb gall wasps.