Progress in the revision of Disholcaspis Dalla Torre and Kieffer

Disholcaspis wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) are gall-inducing, obligate parasites on oaks in the subgenus Quercus (Fagaceae: Quercus).  Theses wasps are heterogenetic with dimorphic sexual and asexual generations, however, the sexual generations for most species remain unknown.  Recent field work was conducted in hopes of finding the sexual generations for some of the Disholcaspis found in Western and Southwestern United States. Results from these efforts as well as notes on how this generation contributes to the morphology of this genus will be presented.  Preliminary molecular work including the use of genes to link specimens from dimorphic alternate generations will be discussed. This work is part of a larger revision of Disholcaspis that will include morphological treatments for both generations and phylogenetic analyses that will investigate the placement of its species within the tribe Cynipini.