Induced-plant-volatiles
Guides
Antistrophus rufus
Antistrophus rufus is a gall wasp in the family Cynipidae that induces galls in flowering stems of prairie perennials in the genus Silphium. It is part of the A. rufus species complex, which was revised from three to five species based on morphological, ecological, and DNA barcode data. The species exhibits a unique chemical ecology: males and females use host plant volatiles as olfactory cues for mate location and host selection. Gall induction alters monoterpene enantiomer ratios in host stems, creating species-specific chemical signals.