Cecidomyiini

gall midges

Genus Guides

Caryomyia(Hickory Gall Midges)
Cecidomyia(pine pitch midges)
Contarinia(Gall midges)
Coquillettomyia
Paradiplosis(balsam gall midge (for P. tumifex))
Pinyonia(Pinyon Spindle Gall Midge)
Prodiplosis
Stenodiplosis
Taxodiomyia(cypress gall midges)

Cecidomyiini is a tribe of gall midges within the Cecidomyiinae, Cecidomyiidae. The tribe contains at least 220 described . Members are known for inducing galls on diverse plants, with some species serving as agents for plants. The tribe includes with varied life-history strategies, including gall inducers, , and species developing in plant tissues without distinct gall formation.

Cecidomyiini by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz. Used under a CC-BY license.

Cecidomyiini by no rights reserved, uploaded by Lynn Harper. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cecidomyiini: //sɛsɪdɔˈmiːʈʃiniː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

As a tribe-level , Cecidomyiini is distinguished from other tribes in Cecidomyiinae by morphological features of the and larval stages, though specific diagnostic characters require -level or -level examination. The tribe is placed within Cecidomyiinae based on phylogenetic and morphological classification.

Images

Habitat

vary widely among constituent . Documented examples include: deserts and salt-marsh habitats in Israel and Central Asia ( Asiodiplosis, Halodiplosis, Desertomyia on Amaranthaceae); wetlands in Florida, USA and native Australian wetlands (Lophodiplosis trifida on Melaleuca quinquenervia). plant availability appears to be the primary habitat determinant.

Distribution

Global distribution corresponding to plant ranges. Documented regions include: Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan) as a center of speciation for certain ; Israel; Tunisia; North America; Australia; and introduced in Florida, USA.

Host Associations

Amaranthaceae subfamily Salsoloideae - gall inductionprimary for Asiodiplosis, Halodiplosis, and Desertomyia in desert
Melaleuca quinquenervia (Myrtaceae) - gall induction for Lophodiplosis trifida, used in
Fabaceae - gall induction for Desertomyia
Sarcobatus - gall inductionNorth American for single Halodiplosis

Life Cycle

Development occurs within plant tissues, either in galls or without distinct gall formation. Larvae and pupae develop in galls or plant tissues; emerge from reared galls. Specific timing varies by and climate.

Behavior

Gall induction is the primary documented , with forming stem galls, bud galls, or other plant tissue modifications. Some species exhibit inquilinism, developing within galls induced by other cecidomyiid species. Nonselective oviposition behavior has been observed in laboratory studies for at least one species (Lophodiplosis trifida).

Ecological Role

Gall induction on plants contributes to plant structural modification and potentially . Some achieve high diversity on host plants (certain chenopod species host more than 20 gall- species). One species (Lophodiplosis trifida) has been intentionally introduced as a agent to suppress growth and of the tree Melaleuca quinquenervia in Florida wetlands.

Human Relevance

Used in : Lophodiplosis trifida was intentionally introduced from Australia to Florida, USA to control the paperbark tree Melaleuca quinquenervia. The tribe's are subjects of taxonomic study due to high diversity and complex relationships.

Similar Taxa

Other tribes in CecidomyiinaeDistinguished by morphological characters of and larvae; precise differentiation requires examination of specific diagnostic features not consistently detailed at tribe level in available sources

More Details

Taxonomic complexity

Generic concepts within Cecidomyiini have required substantial revision. The Halodiplosis was redefined to include only developing in plant tissues without obvious gall formation or as , while Asiodiplosis was reinstated for gall-inducing species previously placed in Halodiplosis. These revisions were based on morphological, molecular (COI and 16S genes), and life-history data.

Species diversity

At least 220 described in the tribe, with ongoing discovery of new species. Ten new species were described from Israel in a single 2021 study, indicating substantial undescribed diversity remains, particularly in understudied regions and plants.