''Asteromyia euthamiae'' is a species of

gall midge Cecidomyiidae is a family of diptera, flies known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls. Cecidomyiidae are very fragile small in ...

in the family

Cecidomyiidae Cecidomyiidae is a family of diptera, flies known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls. Cecidomyiidae are very fragile small in ...

. It was described as a new species in 1968 by the entomologist Raymond Gagné. It is widely distributed in northern North America, where it causes

gall Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or war ...

s on ''

Euthamia ''Euthamia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They are known as goldentops''Euthamia'' ...

'' plants, including ''

Euthamia caroliniana ''Euthamia caroliniana'', known as Carolina grass-leaved goldenrod or slender goldentop is a flowering plant in the genus ''Euthamia'', a member of the family Asteraceae. It is listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss and disturbance within its ra ...

'', ''

Euthamia graminifolia ''Euthamia graminifolia'', the grass-leaved goldenrod or flat-top goldenrod, is a North American species of plants in the family Asteraceae. It is native to much of Canada (from Newfoundland to British Columbia), and the northern and eastern Uni ...

'', and ''

Euthamia leptocephala ''Euthamia leptocephala'', the bushy goldentop or Mississippi Valley goldentop, is a North American species of plants in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the south-central United States, in the lower Mississippi Valley and the Coastal Plain ...

''. The galls are typically 3–10 mm in length and vary in shape depending on the leaf width. They can be rounded, elliptical, or elongate-elliptical in appearance. The galls are usually black, but may have a distinctive narrow margin in shades of yellow, white, or purple.

References

Further reading