Kinsey: Studies^ of Cynipidse 



13 



size, and in having a complete parapsidal groove. Inasmuch 

 as the difference between a distinctly incomplete and a dis- 

 tinctly complete parapsidal groove has been considered of 

 generic significance among several groups of Cynipidse, it is 

 yevy significant to find both conditions among varieties of a 

 single species, and possibly ^^ithin this single variety. In- 

 sects from Pasadena material agree with El Toro material. 

 Variety inter me cliiis comes very close to this variety. 



The Descanso record, based on galls alone, may need fur- 

 ther investigation, for there is indication from other sources 

 that a distinct faunal area occurs in the very southern part 

 of California. Galls taken on Qiiercus lobata, at the Encino 

 Ranch near Zelzah, appear to be of this variety rather than 

 of calif ornicus, which is the variety normally on lobata. I do 

 not have insects from these galls, so I cannot be sure of their 

 relations. If further collecting proves they are fnictiformis 

 we shall have an extremely important case of the same spe- 

 cies occurring on quite different oaks without material effect 

 by the host upon the insect. This is an extreme southern 

 station for Qiierciis lobata, and is quite distant from other 

 stations. A very low pass between the Sierra Madre and the 

 Santa Monica Hills connects this part of the San Fernando 

 Valley with southern California. 



A few insects had not emerged at Upland on February 3 ; 

 in the same latitude, a few adults emerged from the Pasa- 

 dena galls after February 7, tho most of them had emerged 

 previously. Forty miles south of Pasadena, at El Toro, on 

 February 14, many of the galls contained live adults, with 

 some of the insects previously emerged. At the same time 

 young galls were found in several stages of development. At 

 Fallbrook, by February 26 all the adults had emerged, and 

 fresh galls gro^^^l almost to full size were abundant. The 

 emergence period then seems to be early February, earlier in 

 the north ; the fresh galls soon appear, rapidly attaining a 

 considerable size. It is possible that an alternate generation 

 takes just about one or two years for its life; but it is also 

 possible that the fresh galls of late February are the products 

 of eggs laid by the adults emerging in early February, with- 

 out an alternate generation's intervening. If the Zelzah ma- 

 terial proves of this variety, there will arise the further ques- 

 tion of a difference in life history there. Tho the old galls 



