PSYCHE. 



69 



GiLLETTEA gen. nov. 



This interesting new genus of gall-making 

 Cvnipidae, which is dedicated to Prof. C. 

 P. Gillette, one of our most industrious stu- 

 dents of these insects, is based upon an 

 undescnbed species discovered by Prof. T. 

 M. Holzinger, of Winona, Minnesota, living 

 in pithy swellings on the leaf petiole of 

 Taraxactun de?is-leofiis. 



It comes very close to the European genus 

 Xestophanes Forster, agreeing with it in 

 having a smooth inesonotum, an open radial 

 cell, with a distinct areolet, and w-ell defined 

 parapsidal furrows; but the antennae in 

 both sexes are 14-iointed, the third joint 

 being distinctly longer than tlie fourth, tlie 

 scutellum is smooth or nearly smooth, while 

 the metanotum has two parallel, widely sep- 

 arated inedian carinae. In Xestophanes the 

 antennae are 13-jointed in the $, 15- 

 jointed in the $, the scutellum rugulose, 

 while the metathoracic carinae are not par- 

 allel and converge anteriorly. 



Gillettea iaraxaci sp. n. Galls. — Irregular, 

 knotty-like, pithy swellings, occurring 

 together and uniting and forming oblong, 

 irregular galls along and surrounding the 

 leaf-petiole of Taraxacum deiis-leoiiis ; aver- 

 age length from one-quarter of an inch to 

 fully two inches. 



Gall-wasp. $. Length 1.5mm. Polished 

 black, shining; head above, disk of nieso- 

 notum and scutellum feebly, microscopically 

 shagreened; face and sides of thorax more 

 distincti}' shagreened, subopaque; antennae 

 brown-black, with tip of pedicel and first 

 joint of flagellum honey-yellow; mandibles 

 pale rufous with black teeth, bidentate; all 

 coxae bhick, the femora brown-black, towards 



apex as well as all tibiae and tarsi, honey- 

 yellow, the tibiae medially as well as two or 

 three terminal joints of tarsi, obfuscated; 

 wings hyaline, the veins blackish. 



Antennae 14-jointed, nearly as long as the 

 body, filiform, the first joint of flagellum one- 

 half longer than the second, the second 

 about j'i times as long as thick, the following 

 joints imperceptibly shortening, so that the 

 penultimate is only half the length of the 

 second, the last joint being about one-half 

 longer than the preceding. Parapsidal 

 furrows distinct, complete the middle lobe 

 with a very vaguely defined median longitu- 

 dinal line, and on either side anteriorly two 

 short vaguely impressed lines, which are only 

 visible in certain lights. Scutellum with two 

 narrow oblique foveae at base. Wings with a 

 short but distinct marginal cilia, the nervures 

 distinct, black, the marginal cell about 2.^ 

 times as long as broad at base; areolet small 

 but distinct, triangular. Abdomen not longer- 

 than the thorax, polished black, the second 

 segment (the first after the very short petiole) 

 about one-half longer than the third, the 

 fourth and following verv short, the hypopy- 

 gium prominent, as seen from the side, 

 triangularly acute. 



$ ■ Length i.i mm. Agrees well with the 

 female, except in the usual sexual differences, 

 the antennae being slightly longer, the third 

 joint honey-yellow only at base; all femora, 

 except the anterior at tips, being black, while 

 the marginal and costal cells are more or less 

 confluent. 



Hab. — Winona, Minn. 



Types, No. 3499, U. S. National Museum. 



Described from i J and 2 5 specimens, 

 bred March 31, 1S96 by Prof. T. M. 

 Holzinger. 



