Asphondylia bacchariola Gagne, new species

Holotype.--Third instar, from apical leaf fascicle gall of Baccharis pteronioides. AZ

Gall (Fig. 1). — Each gall is made up of several leaves forming a conical, one-celled cylinder about 4 mm long and contains a single larva or pupa. Galls appear singly at the apices of branches, are green at first, but turn brown after the single larva in each gall changes to the pupal stage. The interior gall surface is covered with a white fungal mycelium while the larva is alive.

Additional galls from Baccharis bigelovii similar to those from B pteronioides but without gall midge specimens are tentatively referred to A bacchariola. AZ.

Distribution. — Arizona and western Texas.

Hosts. — Baccharis pteronioides and possibly B. bigelovii. The gall is similar on both plants but no gall midge specimens were found on the latter host to make a positive identification.