''Neuroterus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

gall wasp Gall wasps, also traditionally called gallflies, are hymenopterans of the family Cynipidae in the wasp superfamily Cynipoidea. Their common name comes from the galls they induce on plants for larval development. About 1,300 species of this gene ...

s that induce

galls 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 wart ...

on oaks in which the wasp larvae live and feed. Some species produce galls that fall off the host plant and 'jump' along the ground due to the movement of the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e within. ''

Neuroterus saltatorius ''Neuroterus saltatorius'', also known as the jumping gall wasp, is a species of Cynipini, oak gall wasp. It is found in North America, where it induces galls on a variety of oak trees, including Quercus garryana, Oregon oak, Quercus lobata, val ...

''—formerly named ''Cynips saltatorius''—produces such

Mexican jumping bean Mexican jumping beans () are seed pods that have been inhabited by the larva of a small moth ('' Cydia saltitans'') and are native to Mexico. The pod is usually tan to brown. They are from the shrub '' Sebastiania pavoniana'', often also referr ...

-like jumping galls about 1 to 1.5 mm in diameter. This genus was first described by

Theodor Hartig Theodor Hartig (21 February 1805 – 26 March 1880) was a German forestry biologist and botanist. Biography Hartig was born in Dillenburg. He was educated in Berlin (1824–1827), and was successively lecturer and professor of forestry at the Univ ...

in 1840. Like most oak gall wasps, Neuroterus species have two generations each year, one sexual and one

asexual Asexual or Asexuals may refer to: *Asexual reproduction **Asexual reproduction in starfish *Asexuality, the lack of sexual attraction to anyone or lack of interest in or desire for sexual activity. **Gray asexuality, the spectrum between asexualit ...

(or agamic). The galls induced by each generation of the same species are usually produced on different parts of the host plant. Recent studies indicate this genus is

poly Poly, from the Greek πολύς meaning "many" or "much", may refer to: Businesses * China Poly Group Corporation, a Chinese business group, and its subsidiaries: ** Poly Property, a Hong Kong incorporated Chinese property developer ** Poly R ...

- or

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

, thus many species will likely be moved to other genera. Species include: *''

Neuroterus albipes ''Neuroterus albipes'' is a gall wasp that forms chemically induced leaf galls on oak trees which has both bisexual and agamic generations and therefore forms two distinct galls, the smooth spangle gall and Schenck's gall.Darlington, Page 162 ''N ...

'' *'' Neuroterus alexandrae'' *'' Neuroterus aliceae'' *''

Neuroterus anthracinus ''Neuroterus anthracinus'' is a widely distributed gall wasp that forms chemically induced leaf galls on oak trees. ''N. anthracinus'' has both sexual and Parthenogenesis#Insects, agamic generations and in consequence forms two distinct galls, th ...

'' *'' Neuroterus aprilinus'' *'' Neuroterus bussae'' *'' Neuroterus cerrifloralis'' *'' Neuroterus fragilis'' (succulent gall wasp) *'' Neuroterus lanuginosus'' *''

Neuroterus numismalis ''Neuroterus numismalis'' is a gall wasp that forms chemically induced leaf galls on oak trees. It has both bisexual and agamic (parthenogenetic) generations and forms two distinct galls on oak leaves, the silk button gall and blister gall. The g ...

'' *''

Neuroterus oblongifoliae ''Neuroterus'' is a genus of gall wasps that induce Gall, galls on Oak, oaks in which the wasp larvae live and feed. Some species produce galls that fall off the host plant and 'jump' along the ground due to the movement of the larvae within. ' ...

'' *'' Neuroterus quaili'' *''

Neuroterus quercusbaccarum The common spangle gall on the underside of leaves and the currant gall on the male catkins or occasionally the leaves, develop as chemically induced distortions on pedunculate oak (''Quercus robur''), or sessile oak (''Quercus petraea'') trees, ...

'' *'' Neuroterus rosieae'' *''

'' (jumping gall wasp) *'' Neuroterus serratae'' *'' Neuroterus stonei'' *'' Neuroterus tricolor'' *'' Neuroterus umbilicatus'' *'' Neuroterus valhalla'' *'' Neuroterus washingtonensis''

References

External links

*
Gall Photo Gallery
* * Cynipidae Hymenoptera genera Taxa named by Theodor Hartig Taxa described in 1840 {{Apocrita-stub