Diplolepis (wasp)

Diplolepis is a genus of approximately fifty species of gall-inducing wasps in the family Diplolepididae.<ref name=hearn>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":4">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> The larvae induce galls on wild roses (Rosa), and rarely on domestic roses.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Description

Adults are small (Template:Convert) with a strongly arched mesosoma giving them a hunched appearance.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref> Coloration ranges from entirely orange to reddish-brown or black.<ref name=":3" /> Larvae are legless and cream-colored with a weakly defined head.<ref name=":3" />

Galls formed by a given species can usually be distinguished from those of other species by the shape, size, placement, and ornamentation (smooth or spiny) of the gall, together with the identity of the host plant.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> However, gall morphology can be modified by the presence of inquilines and parasitoids.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> Some species induce galls on leaves, while others induce galls on stems or adventitious shoots.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> Depending on the species of wasp, galls may be single-chambered or multi-chambered, and detachable or integral.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" />

Range

Diplolepis species occur throughout the holarctic region.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /> While most described species are in the nearctic, it is likely many species remain to be discovered and described, particularly in the eastern palearctic.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" />

Life cycle

All Diplolepis species lay eggs and induce galls only on rose (Rosa) species, and are thus dependent on roses to complete their life cycle.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> There is only one generation per year.<ref name=":4" /> Adult emergence from galls coincides with the availability of suitable host plant tissue required for oviposition and gall formation; this can be in spring or later in summer depending on the species.<ref name=":3" /> The adult life span is 5–12 days, during which they mate and the females lay their eggs.<ref name=":3" /> Eggs are attached to 1-2 plant cells and gall formation begins before the eggs hatch.<ref name=":3" /> Larvae are entirely surrounded by their galls shortly after they begin feeding.<ref name=":3" /> Larvae remain in their galls during the summer while feeding on gall tissue, and mature by late summer.<ref name=":3" /> They overwinter in their galls as pre-pupae; they complete pupation in spring and the adults chew their way out of the galls.<ref name=":3" />

File:Diplolepis rosae insect.JPG

Diplolepis rosae adult

Inquilines and parasitoids

The galls of nearly all Diplolepis species are known to host inquilines - species that invade and occupy a gall but do not feed on the larva of the inducing species, though the inducing larva often dies as a result of the activity of the inquiline.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> Species of the gall wasp genus Periclistus are the most common inquiline species found in Diplolepis galls and may occupy over half the Diplolepis galls produced in a given year.<ref name=":3" />

The larvae of both the gall-inducing Diplolepis species and the inquilines (if present) are used as hosts by a number of parasitoid wasps, including wasps from the families Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Ormyridae, Pteromalidae, Torymidae, and Ichneumonidae.<ref name=":3" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Taxonomy

The name 'Diplolepis' was first used for this group by Etienne-Louis Geoffroy in 1762.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The genus is monophyletic and, with Liebelia, constitutes the subfamily Diplolepidinae.<ref name="hearn" /> This subfamily was previously considered a tribe - Diplolepidini - of the gall wasp family Cynipidae.<ref name="hearn" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" /> There are currently about 50 described species in the genus, including:<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Div col

• Diplolepis abei Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Diplolepis arefacta
• Diplolepis ashmeadi
• Diplolepis bassetti
• Diplolepis bicolor
• Diplolepis californica
• Diplolepis dichlocera
• Diplolepis eglanteriae
• Diplolepis flaviabdomenis
• Diplolepis fructuum
• Diplolepis fulgens
• Diplolepis fusiformans
• Diplolepis gracilis
• Diplolepis hunanensis
• Diplolepis ignota
• Diplolepis inconspicuis
• Diplolepis japonica
• Diplolepis lens
• Diplolepis mayri
• Diplolepis minoriabdomenis
• Diplolepis nebulosa
• Diplolepis neglecta
• Diplolepis nervosa
• Diplolepis nigriceps
• Diplolepis nitida
• Diplolepis nodulosa
• Diplolepis ogawai Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Diplolepis oregonensis
• Diplolepis ostensackeni
• Diplolepis polita
• Diplolepis pustulatoides
• Diplolepis radicum
• Diplolepis radoszkowskii
• Diplolepis rosae
• Diplolepis rosaefolii
• Diplolepis similis
• Diplolepis spinosa
• Diplolepis spinosissimae
• Diplolepis terrigena
• Diplolepis triforma
• Diplolepis tuberculatrix
• Diplolepis tumida
• Diplolepis valtonyci Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Diplolepis variabilis
• Diplolepis variegata
• Diplolepis verna
• Diplolepis weldi