il ' ii - Northern Research Station - USDA Forest Service

causing visible deformation, a habit apparently much Baldratiaa---two of the largest genera of Lasiopterinimore
widespread in the Lasiopterini than previously were described, among other taxa, in Mrhn's revision.
thought. Thepresence of the midges in such cases is During my research, I reared 26 species belonging to
often discovered only after exuviae are found protruding these genera, some of them from hosts recorded by
from normal looking leaves or stems (Dorchin 1997; Mrhn. A study of Mrhn's collection was therefore
Fedotova 1992a, b, 1993). Larvae may be solitary or essential. Unfortunately, the present condition of this A
gregarious, and when gregarious, may cause considerable collection, which is deposited in the Staatliches Museum •
damage to shoots (Dorchin 1997) or to fruits and seeds fOrNaturkunde in Stuttgart, renders it impossible to
(Fedotova 1991, 1992b). locate and study most of the type material, as the
microscope slides are still temporary, with glycerol as h
The great majority of the chenopod infesting Lasiopterini mounting medium, and the types are actually not labeled:
complete their life cycle inside their galls, but some The problem is not limited to Baldratia and Stefaniola
exceptions are known for which the mature larvae fall to alone, but also concerns the genera Ozirhincus and
the ground and pupate in it (e.g., Stefanio!a ustjurensis Lasioptera which were revised in the same work, as well
Fedotova (1991) and Baldratiajaxartica Fedotova as the Palaearctic species of the tribe Trotteriini. Collect-
(1992b)). It was previously thought that most species ing the relevant galls all over again and obtaining from
, have only one generation per year (MOhn 1971). How- them larvae as well as associated adults seems to be the
ever, this impression might be the result of insufficient best solution to this problem. Dr. Fedotova, now at the
biologicaland ecological data, as many species recently Agricultural Academy in Ust Kinelskij, Russia, has
studied by Fedotova (1991, 1992b, 1993, 1993a, 1995) recently described the adults of few of Mrhn's species
proved to have two or even three generations per year, from Kazakhstan (Fedotova 1989a, b, c, 1992) and I have
and thisis also implied by partial data I have obtained on undertaken this task in Israel. However, further surveys
the Israeli fauna (Dorchin 1997). throughout north Africa, the Middle East, and central
Asia are necessary, although at this time seem somewhat
An interesting ecological adaptation found in my study unrealistic.
reveals that despite their delicacy and fragility, some
Israeli desert species are active throughout the hottest Another difficulty is created by the inaccessibility of
months 0fthe year, when temperatures may reach 45°C many relevant types of species described by Russian
(--113°F). Thus, Cecidomyiidae are an exception to most workers. Conditions presently prevailing in Russia,
Nematocera, which prefer cool and moist biotopes, and especially communication problems, form a great
are probably t-helargest and most diverse nematoceran hindrance to any study relying on the availability of these
family to be found in desert areas, types.
Taxonomy and Taxonomic Problems LITERATURE CITED
in view of the potential in the Lasiopterini for many new Dorchin, N. 1997. Gall midges infesting Chenopodiaceae
and interesting taxonomic discoveries, it is important to (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) in Israel. Tel Aviv, Israel: Tel
•mention that the tribe exhibits several complicated Aviv University. 131 p. M.Sc. thesis. (In Hebrew)
taxonomic problems and is in urgent need of comprehen-
• sive taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis. Fedotova, Z.A. 1989a. Gall midges of the genus
However, these tasks confront some serious, technical Stefaniola in Kazakhstan. communication 1.
difficulties. The first difficulty is related to the revision Zoologicheskiy Zhurnal. 68(5): 59-71. (In Russian)
of the Palaearctic Lasiopterini, published by Dr. Edwin !
. Mrhn between 1966 and 1971 in the series Die Fliegen Fedotova, Z.A. 1989b. Gall midges of the genus
der Palaearktischen Region. This revision, including the Stefaniola in Kazakhstan USSR. communication 2. w
. keys and description of 72 new species, is entirely based Zoologicheskiy Zhurnal. 68(6): 78-86. (In Russian)
on larvae recovered from galls found in dried plants,
most of which were chenopods collected years earlier in Fedotova, Z.A. 1989c. Gall midges of the genus
north Africa, central Asia, and the Mediterranean basin. Stefaniola in Kazakhstan USSR. communication 3.
The identification of cecidomyiid larvae is extremely Zoologicheskiy Zhumal. 68(8): 57-66. (In Russian)
difficult; and the usefulness of any revision based on
larval Characters alone is therefore rather limited. Fedotova, Z.A. 1990. New species of gall midges
(Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) found on pastures with
Another complication concerns Mrhn's types. Thirty- Anabasis spp. and Nanophyton erinaceum
five new species of Stefaniola and 19 new species of (Chenopodiaceae) in Kazakhstan. Entomologicheskoye
Obozreniye. 69: 223-232. (In Russian)
,
20