Acericecis
Gagné, 1983
maple gall midges
Acericecis is a of in the . The genus contains five described , four extant and one known only from fossils. All extant species induce characteristic on maple (Acer) leaves. The genus was established by Raymond Gagné in 1983, with Acericecis ocellaris as the species. Species are restricted to the Holarctic region.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Acericecis: /ˌæ.sɪˈrɪs.ɪˌsɪs/
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Identification
Presence of circular, -like with concentric rings of and red on maple leaves is diagnostic. Each gall contains a single, positioned at the center. require microscopic examination for definitive identification; they resemble other small but are associated exclusively with maple galls.
Images
Habitat
Deciduous forests and urban areas where maple trees (Acer spp.) grow, particularly red maple (Acer rubrum). develop within leaf tissue; overwinter in soil beneath trees.
Distribution
Holarctic region, including North America and Europe. Documented from the United States (including Vermont), Denmark, and other temperate regions where maples occur.
Seasonality
emerge in spring, typically April to May, when maple leaves are young and expanding. feed through late spring and early summer, then drop to the soil to pupate. remain in soil through summer, autumn, winter, and early spring before adult .
Diet
feed on nutritive tissue induced within maple leaf . The feeding stimulates abnormal growth that provides specialized food tissue. do not feed or feed only on nectar.
Host Associations
- Acer rubrum - obligatePrimary ; red maple leaves develop characteristic ocellate
- Acer - obligate-level ; all extant induce on maple leaves
Life Cycle
with one per year. are deposited on undersides of young maple leaves. hatch, attach with mouthparts, and secrete -like compounds that induce formation. Larvae feed within galls for several weeks, then drop to soil and pupate. undergo through winter, with emerging the following spring.
Behavior
Females to tree to oviposit on young leaves. are sedentary, remaining fixed at the center while manipulating development through chemical secretions. The induced pigmentation patterns ( and anthocyanin red rings) are not normal autumn colors but are actively produced by the larva's influence on leaf physiology.
Ecological Role
As inducers, these create novel microhabitats on maple leaves. The galls may provide shelter for other , though specific relationships are not well documented. The function as specialized that manipulate metabolism.
Human Relevance
Primarily of aesthetic and scientific interest. The are visually striking and may concern homeowners, but they cause minimal harm to established trees. Occasionally used as examples of - chemical interactions in education.
Similar Taxa
- CecidomyiaOther in ; distinguished by (maples only for Acericecis) and the distinctive ocellate with concentric pigmented rings
- Asphondylia including holly berry ; distinguished by and — induces berry or galls rather than leaf galls
More Details
Taxonomic history
The was erected by Raymond J. Gagné in 1983 to accommodate Cecidomyia ocellaris Osten Sacken, 1862, which had been described from maple but did not fit well in the broadly defined Cecidomyia. The name Acericecis derives from Acer (maple genus) and the suffix -cecis.
Fossil record
One , Acericecis chaneyi (Cockerell, 1927), is known only from fossils, indicating an ancient association between and maples.
Gall chemistry
The induces production of () and anthocyanin (red) pigments in concentric rings around the feeding site—colors normally associated with autumn but produced in active green leaf tissue through the 's hormonal manipulation.