Aulacidea Ashmead 1897

Key to species of Palaearctic Aulacidea (modified after Melika 2006; host plant synonyms updated with accepted species names)

1. Forewing margin without cilia............................................................................2

– Forewing margin with moderately long cilia….............................................................. 3

2. Head and entire mesosoma always black, galls on Arnica montana (Denmark) ................................ arnicae

– Head and mesosoma laterally always reddish to light brown, only scutum black; galls in stems on Centaurea and Echinops (Tajikistan, Turkmenistan)......................................................................... discolor

3. Head higher than broad in front view.......................................................................4

– Head always slightly broader or at least as broad as high in front view........................................... 5

4. Scutellar foveae very narrow, coriaceous to smooth, indistinctly delimited posteriorly; head and mesosoma always black, galls in stems on Arctium, Cousinia, Echinops, Rhaponticum, Eryngium (Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Georgia)............. parvula

– Scutellar foveae broader, smooth and shining, deep, well-delimited around, galls in fruits on Koelpinia linearis (Asteraceae) (Turkmenistan)................................................................................ koelpiniae

5. Female antenna 12-segmented............................................................................6

– Female antenna 13-14 segmented.........................................................................9

6. Body light reddish brown, except black scutum, scutellum and partially propodeum; galls in stems on Phlomoides tuberosa .............................................................................................. phlomica

– Body predominantly black, head and mesosoma always black...................................................7

7. F1 shorter than F2; galls in stems on Silybum marianum (Asteraceae) (southern France)....................... ... freesei

– F1 equal or longer than F2............................................................................... 8

8. POL only slightly longer than OOL; F2 nearly equal F1; dorsellum medially nearly as high as height of ventral impressed area; metasomal tergite 2 without a posterior band of punctures; male antenna 14-segmented; galls in stems on Klasea erucifolia ............................................................................................... ascanica

– POL 2.0 times as long as OOL; F2 nearly 2.0 times as long as F1; dorsellum medially 3.0-4.0 times as high as height of ventral impressed area; metasomal tergite 2 with a posterior band of punctures, occupying its half-length; male antenna 13-segmented; galls in stems on Rhaponticum repens ........................................................... acroptilonica

9. Notauli incomplete in anterior 1/3, F1 much shorter than F2................................................... 10

– Notauli complete, at least slightly impressed anteriorly; F1 equal or longer than F2................................ 11

10. Scutellar foveae relatively more longer and broad, inner margins nearly reaching one another anteriorly; median mesoscutal line extending to 1/3-1/2 of scutum length; galls in Podospermum (France, Spain)............................ … laurae

– Scutellar foveae shorter and narrower; median mesoscutal line absent; galls in Sonchus asper (France, Great Britain, Spain).............................................................................................. ... follioti

11. Metasomal tergite 2 without a patch of dense white setae antero-laterally; tergite 3 with very weak, indistinct sparse punctures; galls in flower heads on Phlomoides tuberosa .................................................... diakontschukae

– Metasomal tergite 2 with a distinct patch of dense setae antero-laterally, tergite 3 with or without punctures; galls different and on other plants.......................................................................................12

12. Metasomal tergite 3 entirely without punctures; F1 of female 2.1 times as long as pedicel................. .. turcica sp. n.

– Metasomal tergite 3 with punctures; F1 of female never longer than 2.0 times length of pedicel...…................... 13

13. Metasomal tergite 3 entirely punctate.................................................................... 14

– Metasomal tergite 3 with posterior band of punctures which usually extending to at most half-length of tergite only...... 16

14. Scutellar foveae transversely ovate, always broader than high, smooth, shining; punctures on metasomal tergite 3 uniformly dense and distinct; hypopygium large; galls in Klasea, Scorzonera and Serratula .................................. 15

– Scutellar foveae elongated, longer than broad, with wrinkles; punctures on metasomal tergite 3 more sparse and weak in the anterior half; hypopygium small; galls in stems of Tragopogon ........................................ tragopogonis

15. POL 3.0 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; female antenna 14-segmented; notauli incomplete, anteriorly absent; scutellar foveae transversely ovate, much narrower; metasomal tergite 2 occupying nearly the half length of metasoma dorsally; galls in stems on Scorzonera ................................................................... scorzonerae

– POL at least 4.0 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus, female antenna 13-segmented; notauli complete; scutellar foveae elongated, nearly as long as broad; metasomal tergite 2 occupying at most 1/3 of metasoma length dorsally; galls in flower heads on Klasea and Serratula .................................................................... serratulae

16. F1 of female equal or very slightly longer than F2; pronotum laterally alutaceous to very delicately coriaceous; median mesoscutal line long, in some specimens reaching to pronotum (in a form of a line which is not impressed); punctures on metasomal tergite 3 dorsally nearly reaching anterior margin of tergite; laterally band of punctures narrowing towards ventral margin of tergite..............................................................................................17

– F1 always slightly shorter than F2; pronotum laterally coriaceous; median mesoscutal line shorter, impressed, never longer than half length of scutum; punctures on metasomal tergite 3 form a band equal in width dorsally and laterally.............. 18

17. Head transversely subrectangulate; anterior margins of scutellar foveae together forming a straight line; galls on leaves of Pilosella .................................................................................... subterminalis

– Head narrowly trapezoid in front view; scutellar foveae nearly rounded; galls on leaves of Pilosella ............. pilosellae

18. Antennal toruli very closely located, diameter of torulus at least 6.0 times as large as distance between toruli; scutum distinctly longer than broad; Rs+M of forewing extending to 2/3 length of distance between areolet and basalis; lateral propodeal carinae broad, curved outwards in the middle; galls in stems on Rubus ............................................... rubi

– Antennal toruli are away from one another, diameter of torulus never more than 3.0 times as large as distance between toruli; scutum only slightly broader or equal to width; Rs+M always reaching basalis; lateral propodeal carinae narrow, straight; galls in Hieracium, flower heads on Podospermum and Scorzonera ................................................. 19

19. POL at most 2.8 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; lower face with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and reaching eyes and antennal sockets; median mesoscutal line in a form of short triangle; flower heads on Podospermum and Scorzonera .......................................................................................... abdominalis

– POL 5.5 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; malar space high, 0.8 times as long as height of eye; lower face delicately coriaceous, without distinct striae, radiating of clypeus; median mesoscutal line reach at least to half-length of scutum.... 20

20. Metasomal tergites with punctures, head and mesosoma black; galls in Hieracium ............................. hieracii

– Metasomal tergites without punctures, head and mesosoma brown to pale brown; galls in Saussurea grandifolia (Asteraceae) (Far East of Russia)................................................................................ tobiasi