Kinseyella quercusobtusata, new species
Asexual female

[Photos of the gall appear on page 10 of the pdf]

Gall (Fig. 4). A leaf gall, almost always on the underside, usually attached to the midrib, more rarely on the lateral veins or leaf petiole. Usually one gall per leaf, sometimes two-three. Unilocular, approximately spherical, 20–40 mm in diameter, yellowish and tinged with pink and red when mature, the surface with dense rusty-brown felt-like pubescence. The gall is very fragile, with a very thin external wall. The hard larval chamber is 3–4 mm in diameter, with 2–3 mm thick hard wall, in rusty dense hairs and located in the centre of the gall, supported by numerous radiating brown fibres.

Biology. Only the asexual generation of this species is known, inducing leaf galls on Q. obtusata (Section Quercus ‘sensu stricto’). The gall starts to develop in summer and mature in autumn; adults start to emerge in late autumn and probably prolong the winter. This is the first record of a cynipid gallwasp on this endemic Mexican oak species, characteristics of which are given in Romero-Rangel et al. (2002), Flores-Maya et al. (2006) and Rodriguez-Rivera & Romero-Rangel (2007).

Distribution. Adults currently known only from Mexico: Estado de México. Galls were collected in the following counties: Tepotzotlan, Villa del Carbón, Chapa de Mota y Villa Nicolás Romero

Kinseyella quercusobtusata Pujade-Villar y Melika, 2010
Kinseyella quercusobtusata Pujade-Villar y Melila, In Pujade-Villar et al. (2010: 19)

Gall (Figs. 5h-j): Located on the leaf, almost always on the lower part, generally attached to the central vein, more rarely on the side veins or the leaf petiole. Generally, one gall per leaf, sometimes two-three. Unilocular, approximately spherical (20–40 mm in diameter), yellowish and tinted with pink and red when mature. The surface presents a dense pubescence of rust-brown color. The gall is solid when young and very fragile at maturity, with a very thin external wall. Internal larval chamber, with a hard wall 2–3 mm thick, supported by numerous radiant brown fibers; inside is the properly said yellowish larval chamber.

Hosts: Quercus laeta, Q. obtusata, and Quercus resinosa Liebmann, 1854 (section Quercus).

Biology: Only the asexual generation is known. The gall begins to develop in summer and matures in autumn; adults emerge from September to late October.

Distribution: Cited for the states of Hidalgo, Mexico, Mexico City, and Zacatecas. Previously cited for Santa Fe (Mexico City) in Q. laeta in Pujade-Villar et al. (2012a).

Comment: In Pujade-Villar et al. (2012a) Q. mexicana (section Lobatae) is also mentioned as a host. After reviewing the sample, it was confirmed to be Q. obtusata. Therefore, this species is ruled out to produce galls in the Lobatae section.