Feron parmula

(Bassett, 1900)

Disc Gall Wasp

Feron parmula, the disc gall wasp, is a cynipid that induces distinctive disc-shaped galls on oak , particularly white oaks and their hybrids. The galls are small, pale structures with red streaking, reaching up to 3 mm in diameter. females emerge in April. The species has been documented on the Pacific coast of North America.

Feron parmula by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC-BY license.

Feron parmula by (c) Bob Dodge, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bob Dodge. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Feron parmula: /ˈfɛr.ən pɑːrˈmuː.lə/

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Identification

Disc-shaped galls with pale coloration and red streaking, up to 3 mm diameter, on oak leaves and twigs. Distinguished from similar by gall and association: Feron gigas produces larger galls, Andricus viscidus has viscid (sticky) galls, and two recently identified (informally called "plate gall wasp" and "orange-cap gall wasp") differ in gall structure and coloration.

Images

Appearance

are small cynipids typical of the . The galls induced by this are disc-shaped, up to 3 mm in diameter, pale in color with red streaking.

Habitat

Oak-dominated , particularly those containing white oaks (Quercus sect. Quercus) and their hybrids.

Distribution

Documented on the Pacific coast of North America, specifically in Oregon and California.

Seasonality

females emerge in April.

Host Associations

Quercus - gall inducerwide selection of oak , especially white oaks and including hybrids

Feron gigasProduces superficially similar galls, but F. gigas galls are larger in size
Andricus viscidusProduces superficially similar galls, but distinguished by viscid (sticky) gall surface
"plate gall wasp"Newly identified with superficially similar galls, distinguished by gall structure (informal name used by Ronald Russo)
"orange-cap gall wasp"Newly identified with superficially similar galls, distinguished by coloration (informal name used by Ronald Russo)

More Details

Taxonomic history

Originally described as Andricus parmula by Bassett in 1900; subsequently transferred to Feron.

Gall morphology

The disc-shaped, pale galls with red streaking are distinctive enough to allow field identification, though microscopic examination may be necessary to confirm identity.