S2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL, MUSEUM vol.79 



lanae material at hand is from AndHcus galls, although other 

 cynipid genera are represented among its hosts. The Hopkins lots 

 are as follows: 1 female (Hopk. U. S. 13685^) from gall of Dishol- 

 cmpis globulus (Fitch) on Qu£rcus alba, reared April 5, 1918, at Falls 

 Church, Va., by William Middleton ; a pair (Hopk. U. S. 15633^) , 

 reared by L. H. Weld from unidentified gall on Q. chapmani, May 

 26, 1920, Clarabella, Fla.; 2 pairs (Hopk. U. S. 10773'') from the 

 galls of D. fasciata Bassett on Q. velutina, May 14, 1919, Falls 

 Church, Va., and 1 pair (Hopk. U. S. 10777*^), reared by S. A. Roh- 

 wer on May 21 (female) and 14 (male), 1919, from undetermined 

 galls on Q. ininor at Poplar Bluffs, Mo. The males are all mostly 

 black and have the characteristics of variety dorsalis of querci-lana^ 

 (Fitch). 



After repeated study I conclude that batatoides Ashmead is iden- 

 tical with his species foliatae. The general color scheme and the 

 limits of color variation are alike in the two lots, and no differences 

 in head dimensions, sculpture of the malar space, cheeks and abdo- 

 men, nor in the number of setae on the submarginal vein, can be 

 found to justify retaining them as two species. Ashmead, in his de- 

 scription of batatoides, says it " very much resembles foliatae * * * 

 in punctation and shape," and points out that they may be easily 

 distinguished by size and color. But there are no such size and color 

 differences in the types of the two Ashmead species. His descrip- 

 tion of batatoides does not mention some outstanding color aspects 

 found on the specimen designated by him as the type. The type 

 (female) and allotype are certainly identical with his foliatae types. 

 D. foliatae Ashmead was reared by Ashmead " from leafy live oak 

 gall," Andricus foliatus (Ashmead) {Cynips q. foliatae Ashmead), 

 and D. batatoides Ashmead was reared by the same worker " from 

 live oak potato gall," Plagiotrochus batatoides (Ashmead) {Gynips 

 q. batatoides Ashmead). The live oak mentioned is probably 

 Quercus virginixma. Both series are from Jacksonville, Fla. These 

 galls are very different in structure, yet this Decatoma could live 

 within each as a parasite. Could it be that these galls will prove 

 to be alternate seasonal forms of one species? 



33. DECATOMA FOLIATAE ARIZONICA, new variety 



Plate 2, Figure 23 



Not distinguishable from D. foliatae Ashmead in the range of 

 variation in the color of the head, pronotum, and mesonotum; the 

 females of variety arizonica in the series at hand have the sides of 

 the abdomen mostly brown yellow to ochreous-yellow, whereas these 

 are darker in foliatae; specimens of the variety arizonica at hand 

 differ also in being from 3.1 to 3.3 mm. Ions: and in having: 14 to 16 



