Neuroterus valhalla is a species of gall wasp from North America that forms galls on the Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana). It was first discovered on the campus of Rice University.[1][2]
| Neuroterus valhalla | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Cynipidae |
| Genus: | Neuroterus |
| Species: | N. valhalla
|
| Binomial name | |
| Neuroterus valhalla Brandão-Dias, Zhang, Pirro, Vinson, Weinersmith, Ward, Forbes & Egan, 2022
| |
This species of gall wasp produces a chemical which in turn manipulates the host tree into providing for the wasp eggs. The tree does this by providing a protective layer around the eggs and nutrition for the larva.
References
edit- ^ Brandão-Dias, Pedro F. P.; Zhang, Yuanmeng Miles; Pirro, Stacy; Vinson, Camila C.; Weinersmith, Kelly L.; Ward, Anna K. G.; Forbes, Andrew A.; Egan, Scott P. (January 2022). "Describing biodiversity in the genomics era: A new species of Nearctic Cynipidae gall wasp and its genome". Systematic Entomology. 47 (1): 94–112. Bibcode:2022SysEn..47...94B. doi:10.1111/syen.12521. ISSN 0307-6970. S2CID 245838502.
- ^ "Neuroterus Valhalla: Biologists Discover New Insect Species". Nature World News. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ Brandão-Dias, Pedro F. P.; Zhang, Yuanmeng Miles; Pirro, Stacy; Vinson, Camila C.; Weinersmith, Kelly L.; Ward, Anna K. G.; Forbes, Andrew A.; Egan, Scott P. (January 2022). "Describing biodiversity in the genomics era: A new species of Nearctic Cynipidae gall wasp and its genome". Systematic Entomology. 47 (1): 94–112. Bibcode:2022SysEn..47...94B. doi:10.1111/syen.12521. ISSN 0307-6970. S2CID 245838502.
- ^ "Neuroterus Valhalla: Biologists Discover New Insect Species". Nature World News. Retrieved 28 October 2023.