Cynips (plumbea) jalisco, new species
agamic form
GALL.-Indistinguishable from that of C. (plumbea) munda. Also in distinguishable from galls of C. (arida) eluta which occur in part of the same area. Of moderate size or small, either with a flattened base (when occurring singly) or drawn out to a conical tip (when occurring in clus ters); dull; very prominently shriveling; bluish gray with a more or less persistent scurf; older gall rose or purplish brown in color; up to 7.5 mm., averaging below 5.0 mm. in diameter. Figure 119.
HOSTS.—Quercus macrophylla [magnoliifolia], Q. haematophlebia [magnoliifolia], Q. undata, and Q. sacame [arizonica]. Probably on most of the oaks of the area except the dwarf, alpine oaks and the scrub oaks of the Q. potosima complex.
RANGE.-Zacatecas: Cantuna, 6 N, 7600' (galls, Q. undata). Zaca tecas, 22 SW (Q. undata). La Mesa, 7000' (Q. saca me, Q. macrophylla). Aguascalientes: Pabellón, 20 W, 7000' (Q. undata, Q. macrophylla; galls on Q. sacame). Guanajuato: San Felipe, 20 SW, 8000' (Q. macrophylla). San Felipe, 8 NE, 7000' (Q. macrophylla). León, 20 NE, 9000' (Q. reticulata). Jalisco: Aguascalientes, 35 E, 7000' (Q. macrophylla; gall on Q. saca me). Atequiza, 5 E, 6500' (Q. haematophlebia). Guadalajara, 25 S, 6000' (Q. haematophlebia). Guadalajara, 10 W, 6000' (Q. macrophylla, types). Magdalena, 4 N, 4300' (Q. macrophylla; galls on Q. haemato phlebia). Probably on most of the oaks except those of the potosima complex, and restricted to an area in the Western Sierra and Western Cordillera of Mexico, from Zacatecas through Jalisco and Guanajuato. Figure 102.
LIFE HISTORY.—Adults: November 24. December 15, 18. January 1, 12, 30. February 11, 13, 15, 20, 25, 26. March 2, 4, 6, 20. Most of the emergence late in February, early in March.
This species is very close to C. glabrescens, differing chiefly in being lighter in color, having usually heavier wing veins, a heavier infuscation on the first abscissa of the radius, darker splotches in the cubital cell, a smaller size, and a gall which is small and very much shriveled, being often drawn out to a point basally. The two galls are never to be confused, although it is not always possible to determine every insect. The geographic isolation of the two types of galls, and their correlation with the several insect structures, make it clear that in the high plateau plains which separate the mountains of Durango from the south ern portion of the Western Sierra, we have factors which have isolated distinct species.
Cynips munda is a segregate from the present species, which occurs on the scrub oaks of the potosina group in part of the range of C. jalisco.
