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Rhoophilus loewi (scanning electron microscopy). A, head, anterior
view, female; B, head, posterior view, female; C, mouth parts; D,
antenna, female; E, antenna, male; F, mesosoma, dorsal view, female; G,
mesosoma, anterodorsal view, female; H, mesosoma, lateral view, female;
I, forewing, adult female. |

Rhoophilus loewi (scanning electron microscopy). A, tarsal claw,
female; B, metasoma, lateral view, female; C, mesosoma, posterodorsal
view, female; D, terminal larva, ventral view of the body; E, terminal
larva, anterior view of the head; F, terminal larva, anterior view of
mouth parts; G, terminal larva, anterior view of left mandible; H,
terminal larva, anterior view of right mandible. |

Galls of Rhoophilus loewi. A, B, leaf galls on Rhus lucida;
C, flower gall on Rhus lucida; D, young gall cut open showing
early instar Rhoophilus loewi larvae in situ; E,
cross-section of young gall showing early instar Rhoophilus loewi
larvae in situ surrounding the central Scyrotis locule; F,
older woody leaf gall; G, older woody flower gall; H, old woody gall
with Rhoophilus exit holes; I, cross-section of older woody leaf
gall showing Rhoophilus loewi terminal-instar larvae in situ;
J, cross-section of the same galls showing the Rhoophilus loewi
adults shortly before emerging; K,
Rhoophilus loewi
adult in gall cavity shortly before
emerging; L, stem galls on Rhus undulata; M, Flower gall on
Rhus incisa; N, Leaf gall on Rhus undulata; O, Rhoophilus
loewi adults in copula on Rhus lucida. |

Rhoophilus loewi, chalcid parasitoids
and Scyrotis galls. A, Rhoophilus loewi adult; B, R.
loewi ovipositing; C, Neanastatus rufatus (Eupelmidae)
parasitoid of Scyrotis larva; D, Ormyrus sp. 1, probable
hyperparasitoid of Scyrotis larva; E, F, Scyrotis leaf
galls on Rhus lucida; G, Scyrotis leaf gall on R.
lucida starting to exfoliate; H, exfoliated Scyrotis leaf
gall on R. lucida showing jumping bean, which will drop to
ground; I, cross-section of Scyrotis leaf gall on R. lucida
showing final instar Scyrotis larva; J, final-instar Scyrotis
larva; K, cross-section of Scyrotis leaf gall on R. lucida
showing parasitized Scyrotis larva on the right and chalcid
ectoparasitoid larva on the left; L, stem galls on Rhus laevigata;
M, stem galls on Rhus laevigata with exfoliated gall after
jumping bean has dropped; N, pixie-cap stem galls on Rhus incisa;
O, second type of stem gall on Rhus laevigata; P, pixie-cap leaf
galls on Rhus undulata. |
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Distribution |
Afrotropical: South Africa: Western
and Northern Cape Provinces. |
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Biology |
Inquiline forming secondary cells in galls
induced by Scyrotis species (Cecidosidae) on Rhus
(Anacardiacaea) species. The larval cells expand into the hollow
interior of the host gall resulting in death of the gall inducing moth
larva. |
References
|
Mayr,
G. 1881. Die genera der gallenbewohnenden Cynipiden. Jahresberichte
der Rossauer Communal Oberrealschule im I. Bezirke 20:
1–38
van
Noort, S., Stone, G.N., Whitehead, V.B. & Nieves-Aldrey, J.L.
2007.
Biology of Rhoophilus loewi (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea:
Cynipidae), with implications for the evolution of inquilinism in gall
wasps. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
90: 153-172. |
Credits
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Photographs
© Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums); SEM's © Jose-Luis Nieves-Aldrey.
Matt Buffington
(Systematic Entomology Laboratory, USDA/ARS) played an integral role in the
development of the Cynipoidea pages
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