Morphological organization within Disholcaspis Dalle Torre & Kieffer, 1910 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

Disholcaspis wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) are gall-inducing, obligate parasites on plants in the Quercus, Lobatae, and Protobalanus sections of the subgenus Quercus (Fagaceae: Quercus). Intrageneric relationships among the 55 species of Disholcaspis wasps remain largely unknown.  A preliminary morphological examination is in progress with the goal of exploring patterns that may be indicative of subgeneric organization.  Species complexes within the genus were previously mentioned by Alfred Kinsey; however no publications are known to define the traits that characterize these groups.  Kinsey’s species complexes mostly involved the Mexican Disholcaspis species.  More recent works on the remaining North American species have shown evidence for other divisions based on host plant association and morphology. This preliminary morphological analysis examines these concepts as part of a larger, multiple approach revision of Disholcaspis.