TYPES AND BIOLOGICAL NOTES OF THE EASTERN NORTH AMERICAN SAWFLIES OF PONTANIA COST AND PHYLLOCOLPA BENSON (HYMENOPTERA: TENTHREDINIDAE) DESCRIBED BY MARLATT, DYAR, AND ROHWER

Authors: ZINOVJEV, ALEXEY; Smith, David

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Sawflies are part of the plant-feeding complex of insects that cause millions of dollars of damage to agricultural crops, forests, and ornamental plantings each year. Larvae of one large group of sawflies causes leaf, stem, petiole, and midrib galls and leaf folds on willows and poplar. Species of these gall-forming and leaf-folding groups lack obvious characters for species separation, and their habits and sometimes distinctive type of gall are important in identification of species. In this paper, eighteen species described from eastern North America are discussed, their identity fixed, and hosts and associated galls recorded. This information will save considerable time and effort for agricultural, regulatory, and extension personnel in attempting to identify these pests of willow and poplar plantings.

Technical Abstract: The taxonomic placement of 18 sawfly species assigned to Pontania and Phyllocolpa (Tenthredinidae) or described under Pontania from eastern North America by Marlatt, Dyar, and Rohwer are discussed. The authorship of Pteronus carpini, Pontania consors, and P. borealis attributed to Marlatt is changed to Dyar. The following eight species from eastern North America belong to Pontania (Eupontania): P. (E.) s-desmodioides (Walsh) (= Pontania borealis Dyar 1898, n. syn.); P. (E.) s-pisum (Walsh); P. (E.) s-pomum (Walsh); P. (E.) gracilis Marlatt; P. (E.) rugulosa Marlatt P. (E.) petiolaridis Rohwer; P. (E.) consors Dyar; and P. (E.) lucidae Rohwer. Three species are included in the leaf-rolling crassispina group of the subgenus Pontania: P. (P.) pumila Rohwer; P. (P.) populi Marlatt; and P. (P.) terminalis Marlatt. Five species are included in the genus Phyllocolpa: P. nigrita (Marlatt); P. pectoralis (Marlatt); P. robusta (Marlatt); P. leavitti (Rohwer); and P. crassicornis (Rohwer), n. comb. Pontania acuminata Marlatt is transferred to Nematus, n. comb. Lectotypes are designated for seven species. The Salix and Populus host plants are given and associated galls are illustrated.