Amphibolips damfi, n. sp.
(bisexual form)

Gall. — A spongy oak apple similar to the American A. confluentus. More or less spherical, thin-shelled the spongy interior dense though soft, the larval cell central or nearer the base of the gall; galls up to 48. mm, in diameter; completely separable, borne on twigs.

Host, — Q. ocoteaefolia [laurina].

Range. — Oaxaca: Sierra Juarez between Ixtlan de Juarez and Tepanzacoako, 8700b Probably restricted to a more southern portion of Mexico, centering in Oaxaca,

Life History. — Bisexual galls mature at least by February. Bisexual adults emerging at some time between February 24 and April 15.

Dampfi is a strikingly distinct insect producing a gall of the spongy oak-apple type.

Amphibolips dampfi Kinsey

Host: Quercus ocoteifolia, a synonym of Q. laurina

Gall. A spongy oak apple similar to that of the American A. confluentus (Harris). More or less spherical, thin-shelled, spongy interior dense though soft, larvae central or nearer the base of the gall, galls up to 48 mm in diameter, detachable, on twigs.

Biology Bisexual; galls mature by February, and adults emerge between February and April

Distribution: Oaxaca, Sierra Juarez

Amphibolips dampfi Kinsey

[Photos of this gall appear on page 43 of the pdf]

This species highly resembles A. turulli n. sp. (see below) especially for the similar mesoscutellum and forewing colour pattern; but in A. dampfi the area laterad to parapsidal lines rugose (alutaceous in A. turulli n. sp.); forewings with anal and basal half of discoidal cells completely infuscate (hyaline in A. turulli n. sp.), fragile subglobose internally spongious bud galls slightly pedunculate and with small tip at apex with internal spongious tissue soft, mainly white turning into roseate around larval cell, light brown when dry (turgescent green leaf galls in A. turulli n. sp.). The gall of A. dampfi is unmistakable. It is very deformable for its lax and soft spongy internal tissue with a cotton-like appearance. It resembles A. zacatecaensis gall but in A. dampfi the internal tissue is white to rosy near the larval chamber, very soft, cotton-like (light brown and denser in A. zacatecaensis).

Gall (Fig. 15E). Monolocular subglobose bud gall, up to 50 mm in diameter, with slightly elongate apex and base with smooth and fragile surface, homogenous in colour; internal spongious tissue soft, white to rosy, turning brown when dry; with cotton-like texture (the fibers leaving numerous aerial interspaces); larval chamber occupying central part of the gall, about 4–5 mm in diameter, embedded with spongious tissue.

Hosts. Quercus ocoteifolia, Q. affinis.

Biology. Only the sexual generation is known. Galls mature by February and March; adults emerge from February to April

Distribution. Mexico: Hidalgo and Oaxaca states.

Remarks. The name of the host plant (Q. ocoteifolia), cited in the original description of this species, was erroneously written as Q. ocoteaefolia. This incorrectly spelled epithet appeared in a number of infraspecific descriptions: Quercus ocoteaeifolia f. confusa Trel., Q. laurina var. ocoteaefolia (Liebm.) Wenz., and Q. nitens var. ocoteaefolia (Liebm.) A. DC. All those forms and varieties were synonymized under Q. ocoteifolia.

Comments. According to Melika et al. (2011) A. dampfi closely resembles A. palmeri Basset 1890 and may be synonymous. The type of A. palmeri (a single female) is lost, nevertheless the adult and gall descriptions seem to be consistent with this hypothesis (see A. palmeri below). The type of A. dampfi is also presumed to be lost (C. Le Beau pers. comm.).