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Andricus libani Melika, Challis & Stone, new species Figs 120–134 Type material. HOLOTYPE female: LEBANON, Deir el Zahari, Q. infectoria, coll. 27.VIII.2005. leg. A. Aebi and R. Nuwayhid, em. IV.2006. PARATYPES: 6 females: 2 females with the same labels as the holotype; 2 females labelled as " LEBANON, Ain Dara (Chouf), Q. infectoria, 25.VIII.2005, leg. A. Aebi, em. IV.2006 "; one female labelled as " LEBANON, Jezzine, Q. infectoria, coll. 27.VIII.2005. leg. A. Aebi, em. IV.2006 "; one female labelled as " LEBANON, Bashinta, Q. infectoria, coll. 25.VIII.2005. leg. A. Aebi, em. 17.IV.2006 ". The holotype in HNHM; 4 female paratypes in SPL. Etymology. The species is named after the country where it was collected and in honour of Dr. Rida Y. Nuwayhid, the Lebanese scientist at the Engineering Department, The American University of Beirut who guided us to the galls. Diagnosis. Most closely resembles A. coriarius (Hartig) in which the head is rounded in front view; OOL 2.8 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus and only very slightly longer than LOL; F1 2.3 times as long as the pedicel, placodeal sensilla on F3–F11; the median mesoscutal line absent; the mesoscutellum is rounded posteriorly, nearly as long as broad; scutellar foveae transversely ovate; the radial cell of the forewing 6.0 times as long as broad; all metasomal tergites with dense white setae laterally; metasomal tergite 2 without, all subsequent tergites and the hypopygium with dense micropunctures, while in A. libani, new species, the head broadest part in front view is in the upper 1/3 of the compound eye; OOL only 2.0 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus and 1.5 times as long as LOL; F1 1.7 times as long as the pedicel, placodeal sensilla on F2–F11; the median mesoscutal line extending nearly to the half length of the mesoscutum; the mesoscutellum slightly broader than long, postero-medially elongated into a short blunt tip; scutellar foveae are kidney-shaped; the radial cell of the forewing only 4.5 times as long as broad; only metasomal tergite 2 with a patch of dense white setae antero-laterally, without micropunctures; all subsequent tergites and the hypopygium without micropunctures and setae. Description. ASEXUAL FEMALE (holotype). Body, including antennae and legs, reddish brown; only head posteriorly, mesosoma ventrally, scutellar foveae and central propodeal area black or dark brown. Wing veins dark brown. Head coriaceous, with uniformly dense white setae, 2.2 times as broad as long from above; 1.4 times as broad as high in front view and slightly narrower or equal to mesosoma. Gena coriaceous, broadened behind eye, much broader than cross diameter of eye; head broadest part in front view is in the upper 1/3 of compound eye. Malar space delicately coriaceous, 0.45 times as long as height of eye, without radiating striae. POL 1.7 times as long as OOL; OOL 2.0 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 1.5 times as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.2 times as long as height of eye and 1.7 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal rim and ventral margin of clypeus); diameter of antennal torulus 1.4 times as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye margin 1.4 times as long as diameter of torulus. Lower face coriaceous, with strongly elevated median area. Clypeus rectangular, coriaceous, with distinct deep anterior tentorial pits, with distinct epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line, ventrally rounded, slightly emarginated, without median incision. Frons, vertex and occiput uniformly coriaceous. Antenna with 12 flagellomeres, slightly longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel 1.5 times as long as broad; F1 1.7 times as long as pedicel and slightly longer than F2, F2 1.3 times as long as F3, all subsequent flagellomeres shorter; F12 1.3 times as long as F11; placodeal sensilla on F2–F11, absent on F1. Mesosoma convex, slightly longer than high in lateral view, with uniform dense white setae. Pronotum delicately coriaceous; rugose and with very dense white setae along antero-lateral edge. Mesoscutum coriaceous (in some paratypes more or less reticulate, especially the internotauli area). Notauli complete, wellimpressed in all length, strongly divirging in anterior 1/3; median mesoscutal line extending nearly to half length of mesoscutum; anterior parallel and parapsidal lines distinct, broad, smooth and shiny, reaching above half of mesoscutum length. Mesoscutellum slightly broader than long, postero-medially elongated into a short blunt tip, rugose, with more delicate sculpture towards the center of the disk; overhanging metanotum. Scutellar foveae kidney-shaped, deep, well-delimited all around, with shiny, smooth bottom, medially separated by a narrow central carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum, uniformly alutaceous, with dense white setae; mesopleural triangle coriaceous, with very dense white setae; acetabular carina delimiting a very narrow area laterally, barely traceable under dense setae. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at the half of its height; preaxilla and lateral axillar area delicately coriaceous, without setae; axillar carina with numerous longitudinal striae; axillula transversely ovate, with dense white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shiny, in the most posterior end higher than height of metanotal trough. Metascutellum delicately coriaceous, at least 4.0 times as high as height of smooth, shiny ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, shihy, with sparse white setae. Propodeum delicately coriaceous; lateral propodeal carinae thin, subparallel, without setae; central propodeal area shining, with very few irregular delicate wrinkles; lateral propodeal area uniformly alutaceous, with dense white setae; nucha very short, with longitudinal sulci. Forewing longer than body, with dark brown veins, margin with short cilia; radial cell 4.5 times as long as broad, Rs and R1 nearly reaching wing margin, areolet distinct, Rs+M nearly reaching basalis in its lower half. Tarsal claws with strong basal lobe. Metasoma nearly as long as head+mesosoma; metasomal tergite 2 with a patch of dense white setae only antero-laterally, without micropunctures; all subsequent tergites and hypopygium without micropunctures and without setae; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 2.7 times as long as broad, apical setae reaching far beyond the apex of spine. Body length 2.8–4.1 mm. Gall (Figs 131–134). On lateral and terminal shoot buds, on both young and old trees. The gall is similar to that induced by A. coriarius, in that it is usually globular-slightly flattened, contains many larval chambers, and is coated in spines. However, in contrast to A. coriarius (see description in A. coriariformis above), the spines on A. libani are usually very short (often less than 5 mm in length), blunt and often recurved. The gall is also usually somewhat smaller than A. coriarius, usually with a maximum diameter of 20 mm. Biology. Only the asexual generation is known from galls on Quercus infectoria Olivier. Rare. Comments. This species was initially detected on the basis of DNA sequence data for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the nuclear 28S D2 region (Challis et al. 2007). Although originally identified as Andricus coriarius on the basis of overall gall morphology, all adults with the above described phenotype belong to a single well-resolved clade that is inferred to have diverged from A. coriarius almost 9 million years ago. Existing sequence data suggest that A. libani is not closely related to A. coriarius, and not a member of the A. kollari species group (Challis et al. 2007). The extreme rarity of purely asexual lifecycles in oak gallwasps (Stone et al. 2002) suggests that A. libani p robably has a sexual generation. The clade of Andricus species that includes A. libani all have lifecycles involving alternation between oaks in the sections Quercus (for the asexual generation) and Cerris (for the sexual generation). The sexual generation galls in this clade are commonly small and inconspicuous bud or catkin galls (Melika, Csóka & Pujade-Villar 2000; Cook et al. 2002; Rokas et al. 2003b), and it is probable that the same is true for this new species. Possible hosts from the Cerris oak section in the region include Quercus libani Olivier and Q. brantii Lindl. (= Q. persica Jaub. et Spach). Distribution. Lebanon (Deir el Zahari, Ain Dara (Chouf), Jezzine and Bashinta)., Published as part of Tavakoli, M., Melika, G., Sadeghi, S. E., Pénzes, Z., Assareh, M. A., Atkinson, R., Bechtold, M., Mikó, I., Zargaran, M. R., Aligolizade, D., Barimani, H., Bihari, P., Pirozi, F., Fülöp, D., Somogyi, K., Challis, R., Preuss, S., Nicholls, J. & Stone, G. N., 2008, New species of oak gallwaps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), pp. 1-64 in Zootaxa 1699 (1) on pages 18-20, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1699.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5107172, {"references":["Challis, R. J., Mutun, S., Nieves-Aldrey, J. - L., Preuss, S., Rokas, A., Aebi, A., Sadeghi, E., Tavakoli, M. & Stone, G. N. (2007) Longitudinal range expansion and cryptic eastern species in the western Palaearctic oak gallwasp Andricus coriarius. Molecular Ecology, 16, 2103 - 2114.","Stone, G. N., Schonrogge, K., Atkinson, R. J., Bellido, D. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2002) The population biology of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Annual Review of Entomology, 47, 633 - 668.","Melika G., Csoka, G. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2000) Check-list of oak gall wasps of Hungary, with some taxonomic notes (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipinae, Cynipini). Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici, 92, 265 - 296.","Cook, J. M., Rokas, A., Pagel, M. & Stone, G. N. (2002) Evolutionary shifts between host oak sections and host plant organs in Andricus gallwasps. Evolution, 56, 1821 - 1830.","Rokas, A., Melika, G., Abe, Y., Nieves-Aldrey, J. - L., Cook, J. M. & Stone, G. N. (2003 b) Lifecycle closure, lineage sorting and hybridisation revealed in a phylogenetic analysis of European oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) using mitochondrial sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 26, 36 - 45."]}

Andricus megatruncicolus Melika, new species Figs 87–104 Type material. HOLOTYPE female: IRAN, Lorestan, Ghelaei, Q. infectoria, em. XI-XII.2005. leg. M. Tavakoli. Lor. 157. PARATYPES: 24 females: 14 females with the same labels as the holotype; 4 females labelled as " IRAN, Kordestan, Marivan, Q. infectoria. 2003. leg. M. Tavakoli, Lor 123", and 6 females labelled as " IRAN, Lorestan, Ghelaei, Q. infectoria. mid-summer, 2003. leg. M. Tavakoli, Lor 77". The holotype and 5 female paratypes in HNHM; 5 female paratypes in RIFR; 10 female paratypes in SPL; 4 female paratypes in NHML. Other material examined. 36 females labelled as " IRAN, Kordestan, Marivan, Q. infectoria. 2003. leg. M. Tavakoli, Lor123" and 12 females labelled as " IRAN, Kermanshah, Gahvareh, Q. infectoria. mid-summer, leg. M. Tavakoli, Lor95". Etymology. The species name megatruncicolus reflects the close similarity of the adult and asexual generation gall of this species to Andricus truncicolus (Giraud), and the larger size of the gall. Diagnosis. Most closely resembles Andricus truncicolus in which the body is predominantly blackish brown; the head is more or less rounded in front view; OOL 2.5 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 2.1 times as long as LOL; the diameter of the antennal torulus about 3.7 times as large as the distance between them; the clypeus only slightly broader or as broad as high; F1 1.25 times as long as F2, F2 only slightly longer than F3; the mesoscutum coriaceous anteriorly, reticulate posteriorly, especially in the internotauli area; the median mesoscutal line distinct, in a form of short triangle; the mesoscutellum rounded, very slightly longer than broad, with more delicate sculpture towards the centre of scutellar disk; scutellar foveae nearly rounded, as high as broad, separated by a very narrow, delicately longitudinally striate central carina; anteriorly scutellar foveae nearly reaching one another; the mesopleuron and metapleuron with some distinct punctures; lateral propodeal carinae slightly curved outwards posteriorly; the radial cell of the forewing 4.8–5.0 times as long as broad, while in A. megatruncicolus, new species, the body predominantly is reddish brown; the head is trapezoid in front view; OOL 2.8 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 2.8 times as long as LOL; diameter of antennal torulus only 2.5 times as large as the distance between them; the clypeus at least 2.0 times as broad as high; F1=F2, F2 1.3 times as long as F3; the mesoscutum uniformly delicately coriaceous, with some distinct punctures in the anterior half; the median mesoscutal line absent; the mesoscutellum broader than long, with more dull rugose sculpture along sides of the mesoscutellum and more delicate ont he disk center; scutellar foveae transverse, much broader than high; separated by a broad delicately reticulate central carina; the mesopleuron and metapleuron without punctures; lateral propodeal carinae curved outwards in the mid-height; the radial cell of the forewing only 4.0 times as long as broad. Description. ASEXUAL FEMALE (holotype). Body predominantly reddish brown. Head entirely reddish brown; pronotum black, mesoscutum with extensive black marks; scutellar foveae, mesopleural triangle, metanotum black. Legs reddish brown, except black tibiae and tarsi. Wings with distinct brown veins. Body with dense white setae. Head coriaceous, trapezoid in front view, with dense white setae; 2.0 times as broad as long from above; 1.5 times as broad as high in front view. Gena coriaceous, strongly broadened behind eye, the most broadened part is on the mid-height of eye, well-visible in front view behind eye, gena nearly as broad as cross diameter of eye. Malar space coriaceous, 0.4 times as long as height of eye, with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and extending to half distance to eye. POL equal OOL; OOL 2.8 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 2.8 times as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.2 times as long as height of eye; diameter of antennal torulus 2.5 times as large as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye margin slightly longer than diameter of torulus. Inner margins of eyes parallel. Lower face delicately coriaceous, with relatively strongly elevated delicately coriaceous median area, without striae radiating from clypeus. Clypeus rectangular, tip with white setae, with coriaceous elevated central area, 2.0 times as broad as high, with distinct anterior tentorial pits, impressed along distinct epistomal sulcus, clypeo-pleurostomal line distinct, ventrally widely emarginated and incised medially. Frons, vertex and occiput uniformly delicately coriaceous. Antenna with 12 flagellomeres, slightly longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel 1.6 times as long as broad; F1=F2, F2 1.3 times as long as F3; subsequent flagellomeres shorter; F12 slightly longer than F11; placodeal sensilla on F4–F12. Mesosoma convex, slightly longer than high in lateral view, with dense white setae. Pronotum uniformly coriaceous, with dense white setae along anterior edge. Mesoscutum uniformly delicately coriaceous, with some distinct punctures in the anterior half. Notauli complete, well-impressed in all length, slightly broader and converging posteriorly, smooth, shiny; median mesoscutal line absent; parapsidal lines and anterior parallel lines distinct, broad, extending to half of mesoscutum length. Mesoscutellum 1.8 times shorter than mesoscutum, broader than long, with dull rugose sculpture along sides and more delicate towards the disk center; slightly overhanging metanotum. Scutellar foveae transverse, much broader than high, with smooth, shiny deep bottom, posteriorly delimited by sculpture, without setae; separated by a broad delicately reticulate central carina. Mesopleuron including speculum smooth, without punctures; mesopleural triangle uniformly delicately coriaceous, with dense setae. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly below half of its height; axillula ovate, delicately coriaceous, with dense white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, in the most posterior end higher than height of metanotal trough. Metascutellum uniformly coriaceous, 3.0 times as high as height of ventral impressed area; metanotal trough delicately coriaceous, shiny, with dense white setae; ventral impressed area shiny, with some longitudinal weak wrinkles. Lateral propodeal carinae curved outwards in the mid-height, uniformly broad, with sparse setae prolong it length; central propodeal area with numerous weak wrinkles, without setae; lateral propodeal area coriaceous, with some wrinkles and dense white setae. Forewing much longer than body, margin with short cilia; radial cell 4.0 times as long as broad, areolet distinct; Rs+M extending to 2/3 of distance between areolet and basalis, projecting into its lower half. Metasoma nearly as long as head+mesosoma, longer than high in lateral view; all tergites without micropunctures, with dense white setae laterally, which absent dorsally; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 6.6 times as long as broad, with sparse white setae, apical setae short, not extending beyond apex of spine. Body length 4.2–5.3 mm. Gall (Figs 99–104). Develops from accessory buds on branches. Solitary, sometimes in groups, 2–5 galls forming a cluster. The gall is spherical, 5–15 mm in diameter, broadly attached, surface patterned, resembling tortoiseshell. Apex covered in regular, radiating plates, giving a shield-like appearance. Initially whitish, greenish, later becoming brown and bark-coloured, but usually the greyish dusty layer staying on the surface of the gall even after the emerging of wasps. Inner chamber elliptical, monolocular, located at the base of the gall. Biology. Only asexual females are known from galls on Quercus infectoria Olivier. Comments. The extreme rarity of purely asexual lifecycles in oak gallwasps (Stone et al. 2002) suggests that A. megatruncicolus p robably has a sexual generation. The clade of Andricus species that includes A. megatruncicolus all have lifecycles involving alternation between oaks in the sections Quercus (for the asexual generation) and Cerris (for the sexual generation). The sexual generation galls in this clade are commonly small and inconspicuous bud or catkin galls (Melika et al. 2000; Cook et al. 2002; Rokas et al. 2003b), and it is probable that the same is true for this new species. Possible hosts from the Cerris oak section in the region include Quercus libani Olivier and Q. brantii Lindl. (= Q. persica Jaub. et Spach). Distribution. Iran, Kordestan (Marivan), Lorestan (Ghelaei) and Kermanshah (Gahvareh) provinces; Turkey, southern Anatolia (Beybesli) and north-eastern Anatolia (Erzurum)., Published as part of Tavakoli, M., Melika, G., Sadeghi, S. E., Pénzes, Z., Assareh, M. A., Atkinson, R., Bechtold, M., Mikó, I., Zargaran, M. R., Aligolizade, D., Barimani, H., Bihari, P., Pirozi, F., Fülöp, D., Somogyi, K., Challis, R., Preuss, S., Nicholls, J. & Stone, G. N., 2008, New species of oak gallwaps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), pp. 1-64 in Zootaxa 1699 (1) on pages 14-16, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1699.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5107172, {"references":["Stone, G. N., Schonrogge, K., Atkinson, R. J., Bellido, D. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2002) The population biology of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Annual Review of Entomology, 47, 633 - 668.","Melika G., Csoka, G. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2000) Check-list of oak gall wasps of Hungary, with some taxonomic notes (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipinae, Cynipini). Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici, 92, 265 - 296.","Cook, J. M., Rokas, A., Pagel, M. & Stone, G. N. (2002) Evolutionary shifts between host oak sections and host plant organs in Andricus gallwasps. Evolution, 56, 1821 - 1830.","Rokas, A., Melika, G., Abe, Y., Nieves-Aldrey, J. - L., Cook, J. M. & Stone, G. N. (2003 b) Lifecycle closure, lineage sorting and hybridisation revealed in a phylogenetic analysis of European oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) using mitochondrial sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 26, 36 - 45."]}

Andricus libani Melika, Challis & Stone, new species Figs 120–134 Type material. HOLOTYPE female: LEBANON, Deir el Zahari, Q. infectoria, coll. 27.VIII.2005. leg. A. Aebi and R. Nuwayhid, em. IV.2006. PARATYPES: 6 females: 2 females with the same labels as the holotype; 2 females labelled as " LEBANON, Ain Dara (Chouf), Q. infectoria, 25.VIII.2005, leg. A. Aebi, em. IV.2006 "; one female labelled as " LEBANON, Jezzine, Q. infectoria, coll. 27.VIII.2005. leg. A. Aebi, em. IV.2006 "; one female labelled as " LEBANON, Bashinta, Q. infectoria, coll. 25.VIII.2005. leg. A. Aebi, em. 17.IV.2006 ". The holotype in HNHM; 4 female paratypes in SPL. Etymology. The species is named after the country where it was collected and in honour of Dr. Rida Y. Nuwayhid, the Lebanese scientist at the Engineering Department, The American University of Beirut who guided us to the galls. Diagnosis. Most closely resembles A. coriarius (Hartig) in which the head is rounded in front view; OOL 2.8 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus and only very slightly longer than LOL; F1 2.3 times as long as the pedicel, placodeal sensilla on F3–F11; the median mesoscutal line absent; the mesoscutellum is rounded posteriorly, nearly as long as broad; scutellar foveae transversely ovate; the radial cell of the forewing 6.0 times as long as broad; all metasomal tergites with dense white setae laterally; metasomal tergite 2 without, all subsequent tergites and the hypopygium with dense micropunctures, while in A. libani, new species, the head broadest part in front view is in the upper 1/3 of the compound eye; OOL only 2.0 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus and 1.5 times as long as LOL; F1 1.7 times as long as the pedicel, placodeal sensilla on F2–F11; the median mesoscutal line extending nearly to the half length of the mesoscutum; the mesoscutellum slightly broader than long, postero-medially elongated into a short blunt tip; scutellar foveae are kidney-shaped; the radial cell of the forewing only 4.5 times as long as broad; only metasomal tergite 2 with a patch of dense white setae antero-laterally, without micropunctures; all subsequent tergites and the hypopygium without micropunctures and setae. Description. ASEXUAL FEMALE (holotype). Body, including antennae and legs, reddish brown; only head posteriorly, mesosoma ventrally, scutellar foveae and central propodeal area black or dark brown. Wing veins dark brown. Head coriaceous, with uniformly dense white setae, 2.2 times as broad as long from above; 1.4 times as broad as high in front view and slightly narrower or equal to mesosoma. Gena coriaceous, broadened behind eye, much broader than cross diameter of eye; head broadest part in front view is in the upper 1/3 of compound eye. Malar space delicately coriaceous, 0.45 times as long as height of eye, without radiating striae. POL 1.7 times as long as OOL; OOL 2.0 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 1.5 times as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.2 times as long as height of eye and 1.7 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal rim and ventral margin of clypeus); diameter of antennal torulus 1.4 times as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye margin 1.4 times as long as diameter of torulus. Lower face coriaceous, with strongly elevated median area. Clypeus rectangular, coriaceous, with distinct deep anterior tentorial pits, with distinct epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line, ventrally rounded, slightly emarginated, without median incision. Frons, vertex and occiput uniformly coriaceous. Antenna with 12 flagellomeres, slightly longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel 1.5 times as long as broad; F1 1.7 times as long as pedicel and slightly longer than F2, F2 1.3 times as long as F3, all subsequent flagellomeres shorter; F12 1.3 times as long as F11; placodeal sensilla on F2–F11, absent on F1. Mesosoma convex, slightly longer than high in lateral view, with uniform dense white setae. Pronotum delicately coriaceous; rugose and with very dense white setae along antero-lateral edge. Mesoscutum coriaceous (in some paratypes more or less reticulate, especially the internotauli area). Notauli complete, wellimpressed in all length, strongly divirging in anterior 1/3; median mesoscutal line extending nearly to half length of mesoscutum; anterior parallel and parapsidal lines distinct, broad, smooth and shiny, reaching above half of mesoscutum length. Mesoscutellum slightly broader than long, postero-medially elongated into a short blunt tip, rugose, with more delicate sculpture towards the center of the disk; overhanging metanotum. Scutellar foveae kidney-shaped, deep, well-delimited all around, with shiny, smooth bottom, medially separated by a narrow central carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum, uniformly alutaceous, with dense white setae; mesopleural triangle coriaceous, with very dense white setae; acetabular carina delimiting a very narrow area laterally, barely traceable under dense setae. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at the half of its height; preaxilla and lateral axillar area delicately coriaceous, without setae; axillar carina with numerous longitudinal striae; axillula transversely ovate, with dense white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shiny, in the most posterior end higher than height of metanotal trough. Metascutellum delicately coriaceous, at least 4.0 times as high as height of smooth, shiny ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, shihy, with sparse white setae. Propodeum delicately coriaceous; lateral propodeal carinae thin, subparallel, without setae; central propodeal area shining, with very few irregular delicate wrinkles; lateral propodeal area uniformly alutaceous, with dense white setae; nucha very short, with longitudinal sulci. Forewing longer than body, with dark brown veins, margin with short cilia; radial cell 4.5 times as long as broad, Rs and R1 nearly reaching wing margin, areolet distinct, Rs+M nearly reaching basalis in its lower half. Tarsal claws with strong basal lobe. Metasoma nearly as long as head+mesosoma; metasomal tergite 2 with a patch of dense white setae only antero-laterally, without micropunctures; all subsequent tergites and hypopygium without micropunctures and without setae; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium 2.7 times as long as broad, apical setae reaching far beyond the apex of spine. Body length 2.8–4.1 mm. Gall (Figs 131–134). On lateral and terminal shoot buds, on both young and old trees. The gall is similar to that induced by A. coriarius, in that it is usually globular-slightly flattened, contains many larval chambers, and is coated in spines. However, in contrast to A. coriarius (see description in A. coriariformis above), the spines on A. libani are usually very short (often less than 5 mm in length), blunt and often recurved. The gall is also usually somewhat smaller than A. coriarius, usually with a maximum diameter of 20 mm. Biology. Only the asexual generation is known from galls on Quercus infectoria Olivier. Rare. Comments. This species was initially detected on the basis of DNA sequence data for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the nuclear 28S D2 region (Challis et al. 2007). Although originally identified as Andricus coriarius on the basis of overall gall morphology, all adults with the above described phenotype belong to a single well-resolved clade that is inferred to have diverged from A. coriarius almost 9 million years ago. Existing sequence data suggest that A. libani is not closely related to A. coriarius, and not a member of the A. kollari species group (Challis et al. 2007). The extreme rarity of purely asexual lifecycles in oak gallwasps (Stone et al. 2002) suggests that A. libani p robably has a sexual generation. The clade of Andricus species that includes A. libani all have lifecycles involving alternation between oaks in the sections Quercus (for the asexual generation) and Cerris (for the sexual generation). The sexual generation galls in this clade are commonly small and inconspicuous bud or catkin galls (Melika, Csóka & Pujade-Villar 2000; Cook et al. 2002; Rokas et al. 2003b), and it is probable that the same is true for this new species. Possible hosts from the Cerris oak section in the region include Quercus libani Olivier and Q. brantii Lindl. (= Q. persica Jaub. et Spach). Distribution. Lebanon (Deir el Zahari, Ain Dara (Chouf), Jezzine and Bashinta).

Andricus assarehi Melika & Sadeghi, new species Figs 18–34 Type material. HOLOTYPE female: IRAN, Kordestan, Bane, XI–XII.2005. Q. infectoria. leg. M. Tavakoli. Lor 156. PARATYPES: 23 females with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype and 5 female paratypes in HNHM; 5 female paratypes in RIFR; 10 female paratypes in SPL; 3 female paratypes in NHML. Other material examined. 10 females and 8 galls with the same labels as the type. Etymology. In honour of Dr. M. Hassan Assareh, deputy director of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran. Diagnosis. The species belongs to the Andricus quercuscalicis clade. Most closely resembles Andricus dentimitratus (Rejtö). In A. dentimitratus POL 1.8-1.9 times as long as OOL; OOL 1.5 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus; the transfacial distance 2.1 times as long as the height of eye; clypeus higher than broad; pedicel subglobose, only very slightly longer than broad; F1 slightly longer than F2, F12=F11; anterior parallel lines extending to 1/3 of the mesoscutum length only; the mesoscutellum rugose; scutellar foveae subovate, only slightly broader than high, with coriaceous bottom; the prominent part of the ventral spine of hypopygium 5.5 times as long as broad. In A. assarehi, new species, POL 2.4 times as long as OOL; OOL only 1.2 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus; the transfacial distance only 1.4 times as long as the height of eye; clypeus above 2.0 times as broad as high; pedicel nearly 2.0 times as long as broad, F1 1.4 times as long as F2, F12 2.0 times as long as F11; anterior parallel lines extending to the half length of the mesoscutum; the mesoscutellum delicately coriaceous; scutellar foveae transverse, at least 2.0 times as broad as high, with smooth bottom; the prominent part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium less than 5.0 times as long as broad. Description. ASEXUAL FEMALE (holotype). Body rusty brown; head posteriorly, compound eyes, antenna (except scape), mandibles, stripes along parapsidal and anterior parallel lines, scutellar foveae, preaxilla, lateral axillar area, axillula, propodeum, tibiae and tarsi, metasoma dorsally very dark brown to black; body with dense white setae; wing veins dark brown. Head coriaceous, with uniformly very dense white setae, 2.0 times as broad as long from above; 1.4 times as broad as high in front view and equal to mesosoma. Gena coriaceous, strongly broadened behind eye, as broad as cross diameter of eye. Malar space coriaceous, 0.4 times as long as height of eye, with striae radiating from clypeus and extending to 2/3 of malar space length. POL 2.4 times as long as OOL; OOL 1.2 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus, 1.3 times as long as LOL; ocelli relatively large, nearly rounded. Transfacial distance 1.4 times as long as height of eye and 2.1 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal rim and ventral margin of clypeus); diameter of antennal torulus 2.0 times as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye margin 2.4 times as long as diameter of torulus. Lower face coriaceous, with strongly elevated median area. Clypeus rectangular, above 2.0 times as broad as high, coriaceous, with distinct deep anterior tentorial pits, with distinct epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line; ventrally with very dense long white setae, emarginated and incised medially; central part elevated. Frons, vertex and occiput uniformly coriaceous. Postocciput around occipital foramen impressed, transversely delicately striate; posterior tentorial pits elongated; hypostomal bridge higher than broad, lower part strongly narrowed down to strongly emarginated hypostomal carina; occipital foramen 1.5 times as high as height of hypostomal bridge; hypostomal foramen 1.4 times as high as height of occipital foramen. Antenna with 12 (or 13 flagellomeres, indistinct suture between F13 and F12 visible in some paratypes), slightly longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel nearly 2.0 times as long as broad, F1 2.5 times as long as pedicel, 1.4 times as long as F2, F2 1.25 times as long as F3, all subsequent flagellomeres shorter; F12 2.0 times as long as F11; placodeal sensilla on F3–F12, absent on F1–F2. Mesosoma convex, slightly longer than high in lateral view, with uniform dense white setae. Pronotum uniformly coriaceous; with dense white setae along antero-lateral edge. Anterior rim of pronotum black, very narrow, delicately coriaceous, with longitudinal delicate few striae; propleuron black, delicately coriaceous, with white setae, strongly concave in medio-central part. Mesoscutum coriaceous to reticulate, with distinct punctures; very slightly longer than broad from above (width measured across basis of tegulae); notauli complete, well-impressed in all length; median mesoscutal line extending to 1/3 of mesoscutum length; anterior parallel and parapsidal lines distinct, broad, smooth and shining, extending to half of mesoscutum length. Mesoscutellum rounded, slightly broader than long, 2.1 times shorter than length of mesoscutum; delicately coriaceous, with more delicate sculpture towards the center of the scutellar disc and right behind scutellar foveae; slightly overhanging metanotum. Scutellar foveae transverse, at least 2.0 times as broad as high, shallow, with smooth, mat bottom and dense white setae; posteriorly delimited by sculpture; medially separated by a broad central carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum, smooth, shining, with very dense white setae; mesopleural triangle delicately coriaceous, with very dense white setae and delicate wrinkles. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at its half height; preaxilla coriaceous; lateral axillar area with parallel wrinkles, without setae; axillar carina broad, with longitudinal striae; axillula transversely ovate, smooth, with very dense white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, in the most posterior end slightly higher than height of metanotal trough. Metascutellum uniformly delicately coriaceous, slightly higher than height of smooth, shining ventral impressed area; metanotal trough very delicately coriaceous, mat, with dense white setae. Lateral propodeal carinae with few setae, slightly curved outwards in the middle, central propodeal area shining, smooth, with dense white setae along lateral propodeal carinae; lateral propodeal area uniformly coriaceous, with dense white setae; nucha very short, with longitudinal sulci. Forewing 1.5 times as long as body, with dark brown veins, margin with short dense cilia; radial cell 3.5 times as long as broad, R1 on a short distance running along wing margin, Rs nearly reaching wing margin; areolet large, well-delimited by distinct veins; Rs+M extending to 2/3 of the distance between areolet and basalis. Tarsal claws with strong acute basal lobe. Metasoma slightly longer than head+mesosoma, all tergites with very dense white setae laterally; micropunctures on tergites invisible; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium less than 5.0 times as long as broad, with very few short white setae only ventrally, which not extending beyond apex of spine. Body length 4.5– 5.0 mm (holotype female 4.7 mm). Gall (Figs 29–34). The gall develops at the base of the acorn cup and may cover the stunted acorn. The gall has an extremely irregular shape; it may be globular around the acorn, or extend into broad, pointed radiating spines. The diagnostic feature of the gall is its surface texture, which is always smooth, polished and covered in a sticky resin. Mature galls contain a small air space around a distinct thin-walled larval chamber. Across its spines, the gall is 15–55 mm high and 15–35 mm across. The gall is yellow when young, turning pale to reddish brown when mature. The gall of A. dentimitratus closely resembles that of A. assarehi, however, the later with much longer radiating irregular spines and the shape and form of the gall is more irregular, strongly varying. Biology. Only an asexual generation is known from galls on Quercus infectoria Olivier. Galls appear on the tree by mid-summer; adult wasps emerge in November-December. The galls remains on the tree for one year. Rare species. Comments. The extreme rarity of purely asexual lifecycles in oak gallwasps (Stone et al. 2002) suggests that A. assarehi p robably has a sexual generation. The clade of Andricus species that includes A. assarehi all have lifecycles involving alternation between oaks in the sections Quercus (for the asexual generation) and Cerris (for the sexual generation). The sexual generation galls in this clade are commonly small and inconspicuous bud or catkin galls (Melika, Csóka & Pujade-Villar 2000; Cook et al. 2002; Rokas et al. 2003b), and it is probable that the same is true for this new species. Possible hosts from the Cerris oak section in the region include Quercus libani Olivier and Q. brantii Lindl. (= Q. persica Jaub. et Spach). Distribution. Iran, Kordestan province (Bane).

Andricus istvani Melika, new species Figs 2–17 Type material. HOLOTYPE female: IRAN, Lorestan, Ghelaei, V.2005. Q. brantii. Leg. M. Tavakoli. Lor 177. PARATYPES: 1 female and 14 males with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype and 2 male paratypes are deposited in HNHM; 5 male paratypes in RIFR; 1 female and 7 male paratypes in the collection of SPL. Other material examined. 28 males and 12 galls labelled as " Iran, Kermanshah, Pave, V.2005. Q. brantii. Leg. M. Tavakoli ". Etymology. In honour of Dr. István Mikó, our friend and researcher of the Systematic Parasitoid Laboratory, Plant Protection and Soil Conservation Service of County Vas, Tanakajd, Hungary. Diagnosis. The only known Western Palaearctic sexual Andricus which in the forewing in both, females and males, lacks cilia on margins is A. crispator Tschek, which is the most closely related species. However, in A. crispator OOL 3.4–3.6 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus; the transfacial distance 1.8–2.0 times as long as the height of eye; the pedicel 1.5 times as long as broad; F10 1.5 times as long as F9; R 1 in the forewing on a short distance running along the wing margin, the areolet triangular, distinct; the median mesoscutal line absent; the mesoscutellum posteriorly elongated into a blunt spine-like tip; the mesopleuron, except coriaceous speculum, transversely striate, while in A. istvani, new species, OOL only 2.3 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus; the transfacial distance only 1.2 times as long as the height of eye; the pedicel 2.0 times as long as broad; F10 2.5 times as long as F9; R 1 in the forewing do not reaching wing margin, the areolet absent; the median mesoscutal line in a form of a short triangle; the mesoscutellum posteriorly rounded; the mesopleuron, including speculum, uniformly transversely delicately striate. Description. FEMALE (holotype). Body and antennae entirely and uniformly light brown; eyes dark grey; legs slightly lighter; wings with distinct brown veins. Head delicately coriaceous, with very few short white setae, 2.1 times as broad as long from above, slightly broader than high in front view and slightly broader than mesosoma. Gena delicately coriaceous, slightly broadened behind eye, visible in front view behind eye. Malar space coriaceous, with striae radiating from clypeus and extending to 2/3 of malar space length, 0.4 times as long as height of eye. POL 1.2 times as long as OOL; OOL 2.3 times as long as length of lateral ocellus and 1.5 times as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.2 times as long as height of eye and 1.6 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal rim and ventral margin of clypeus); diameter of antennal torulus 1.9 times as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye margin slightly longer than diameter of torulus. Inner margins of eyes very slightly converning ventrally. Lower face coriaceous, with strongly elevated median area. Clypeus trapezoid, coriaceous, nearly as broad as high, with distinct deep anterior tentorial pits, deeply impressed along distinct epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line, ventrally broadly emarginated, medially not incised. Frons, vertex and occiput uniformly coriaceous. Antenna with 10 flagellomeres (in female paratype with 11 flagellomeres, an indistinct suture present between F11 and F10); nearly as long as body length; pedicel 2.0 times as long as broad; F1 1.6 times as long as pedicel and 1.5 times as long as F2; F2 very slightly longer than F3, F3–F9 nearly equal in length; F10 2.5 times as long as F9; placodeal sensilla distinct on F5–F10, absent on F1–F4. Mesosoma convex, 1.2 times as long as high in lateral view, with very few short white setae. Pronotum coriaceous, with some delicate subparallel interrupted wrinkles along mesopleuron. Mesoscutum delicately coriaceous, broader than long (width measured across the basis of tegulae); notauli complete, wellimpressed in all length; median mesoscutal line in a form of short triangle; parapsidal lines narrow but distinct; anterior parallel lines distinct, very short, extending to 1/4 of mesoscutum length. Mesoscutellum 1.5 times shorter than mesoscutum, slightly elongated, uniformly dull rugose, posteriorly rounded, strongly overhanging metanotum. Scutellar foveae subquadrate, slightly broader than high, well-delimited around, with shining, smooth bottom, separated by a narrow but distinct central median carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum, uniformly transversely delicately striate; mesopleural triangle shining, with some delicate wrinkles; acetabular carina delimiting a broad dull rugose area laterally. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly above the half of its height; preaxilla and lateral axillar area coriaceous, with delicate wrinkles; axillar carina narrow, with some longitudinal delicate striae; axillula ovate, smooth, shining, with sparse white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, in the most posterior end 1.5 times as high as height of metanotal trough. Metascutellum very delicately coriaceous, nearly as high as height of smooth, shining ventral impressed area; metanotal trough smooth, shining, with sparse white setae. Lateral propodeal carinae subparallel, very slightly curved outwards in the posterior 1/3, central propodeal area shining, smooth; lateral propodeal area uniformly coriaceous, with white setae; nucha very short, with delicate longitudinal sulci. Forewing with distinct brown veins, margin without cilia; radial cell 4.2 times as long as broad, Rs and R1 not reaching wing margin, areolet absent, Rs+M nearly reaching basalis in its lower half. Tarsal claws with strong basal lobe. Metasoma longer than head+mesosoma, nearly as long as high in lateral view, all tergites and hypopygium without micropunctures; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium slender, 5.6 times as long as broad in ventral view, with few short setae, which not extending beyond apex of spine. Body length 1.5–1.7 mm (holotype 1.6 mm). MALE. 1.4–1.7 mm. Similar to female but mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, central propodeal area, nucha and metasoma dorsally very dark brown to black (in all 42 examined males); frons and vertex with more delicate sculpture; compound eyes slightly larger, antenna with 12 flagellomeres, slightly longer than body length, F1 slightly curved, apically swollen, 1.3 times as long as F2, placodeal sensilla on all flagellomeres. Gall (Figs 14–17). An integral leaf gall, develops on both sides of the leaf (usually on terminal leaves of the twig), 10–20 mm long, irregularly shaped; multilocular, containing many cells. Young galls are fleshy and pale green to yellowish, and become brown and remain soft as they mature. Galls usually occur gregariously, resulting in a noticeable deformation of the leaf. Biology. Only the sexual generation is known from galls on Quercus brantii Lindl. Young galls become apparent from the beginning of May; adult wasps emerge from mid-May. Rare species. Distribution. Iran, Lorestan (Ghelaei) and Kermanshah provinces (Pave).

Andricus assarehi Melika & Sadeghi, new species Figs 18–34 Type material. HOLOTYPE female: IRAN, Kordestan, Bane, XI–XII.2005. Q. infectoria. leg. M. Tavakoli. Lor 156. PARATYPES: 23 females with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype and 5 female paratypes in HNHM; 5 female paratypes in RIFR; 10 female paratypes in SPL; 3 female paratypes in NHML. Other material examined. 10 females and 8 galls with the same labels as the type. Etymology. In honour of Dr. M. Hassan Assareh, deputy director of the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran. Diagnosis. The species belongs to the Andricus quercuscalicis clade. Most closely resembles Andricus dentimitratus (Rejtö). In A. dentimitratus POL 1.8-1.9 times as long as OOL; OOL 1.5 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus; the transfacial distance 2.1 times as long as the height of eye; clypeus higher than broad; pedicel subglobose, only very slightly longer than broad; F1 slightly longer than F2, F12=F11; anterior parallel lines extending to 1/3 of the mesoscutum length only; the mesoscutellum rugose; scutellar foveae subovate, only slightly broader than high, with coriaceous bottom; the prominent part of the ventral spine of hypopygium 5.5 times as long as broad. In A. assarehi, new species, POL 2.4 times as long as OOL; OOL only 1.2 times as long as the length of the lateral ocellus; the transfacial distance only 1.4 times as long as the height of eye; clypeus above 2.0 times as broad as high; pedicel nearly 2.0 times as long as broad, F1 1.4 times as long as F2, F12 2.0 times as long as F11; anterior parallel lines extending to the half length of the mesoscutum; the mesoscutellum delicately coriaceous; scutellar foveae transverse, at least 2.0 times as broad as high, with smooth bottom; the prominent part of the ventral spine of the hypopygium less than 5.0 times as long as broad. Description. ASEXUAL FEMALE (holotype). Body rusty brown; head posteriorly, compound eyes, antenna (except scape), mandibles, stripes along parapsidal and anterior parallel lines, scutellar foveae, preaxilla, lateral axillar area, axillula, propodeum, tibiae and tarsi, metasoma dorsally very dark brown to black; body with dense white setae; wing veins dark brown. Head coriaceous, with uniformly very dense white setae, 2.0 times as broad as long from above; 1.4 times as broad as high in front view and equal to mesosoma. Gena coriaceous, strongly broadened behind eye, as broad as cross diameter of eye. Malar space coriaceous, 0.4 times as long as height of eye, with striae radiating from clypeus and extending to 2/3 of malar space length. POL 2.4 times as long as OOL; OOL 1.2 times as long as diameter of lateral ocellus, 1.3 times as long as LOL; ocelli relatively large, nearly rounded. Transfacial distance 1.4 times as long as height of eye and 2.1 times as long as height of lower face (distance between antennal rim and ventral margin of clypeus); diameter of antennal torulus 2.0 times as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye margin 2.4 times as long as diameter of torulus. Lower face coriaceous, with strongly elevated median area. Clypeus rectangular, above 2.0 times as broad as high, coriaceous, with distinct deep anterior tentorial pits, with distinct epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line; ventrally with very dense long white setae, emarginated and incised medially; central part elevated. Frons, vertex and occiput uniformly coriaceous. Postocciput around occipital foramen impressed, transversely delicately striate; posterior tentorial pits elongated; hypostomal bridge higher than broad, lower part strongly narrowed down to strongly emarginated hypostomal carina; occipital foramen 1.5 times as high as height of hypostomal bridge; hypostomal foramen 1.4 times as high as height of occipital foramen. Antenna with 12 (or 13 flagellomeres, indistinct suture between F13 and F12 visible in some paratypes), slightly longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel nearly 2.0 times as long as broad, F1 2.5 times as long as pedicel, 1.4 times as long as F2, F2 1.25 times as long as F3, all subsequent flagellomeres shorter; F12 2.0 times as long as F11; placodeal sensilla on F3–F12, absent on F1–F2. Mesosoma convex, slightly longer than high in lateral view, with uniform dense white setae. Pronotum uniformly coriaceous; with dense white setae along antero-lateral edge. Anterior rim of pronotum black, very narrow, delicately coriaceous, with longitudinal delicate few striae; propleuron black, delicately coriaceous, with white setae, strongly concave in medio-central part. Mesoscutum coriaceous to reticulate, with distinct punctures; very slightly longer than broad from above (width measured across basis of tegulae); notauli complete, well-impressed in all length; median mesoscutal line extending to 1/3 of mesoscutum length; anterior parallel and parapsidal lines distinct, broad, smooth and shining, extending to half of mesoscutum length. Mesoscutellum rounded, slightly broader than long, 2.1 times shorter than length of mesoscutum; delicately coriaceous, with more delicate sculpture towards the center of the scutellar disc and right behind scutellar foveae; slightly overhanging metanotum. Scutellar foveae transverse, at least 2.0 times as broad as high, shallow, with smooth, mat bottom and dense white setae; posteriorly delimited by sculpture; medially separated by a broad central carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum, smooth, shining, with very dense white setae; mesopleural triangle delicately coriaceous, with very dense white setae and delicate wrinkles. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron at its half height; preaxilla coriaceous; lateral axillar area with parallel wrinkles, without setae; axillar carina broad, with longitudinal striae; axillula transversely ovate, smooth, with very dense white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, in the most posterior end slightly higher than height of metanotal trough. Metascutellum uniformly delicately coriaceous, slightly higher than height of smooth, shining ventral impressed area; metanotal trough very delicately coriaceous, mat, with dense white setae. Lateral propodeal carinae with few setae, slightly curved outwards in the middle, central propodeal area shining, smooth, with dense white setae along lateral propodeal carinae; lateral propodeal area uniformly coriaceous, with dense white setae; nucha very short, with longitudinal sulci. Forewing 1.5 times as long as body, with dark brown veins, margin with short dense cilia; radial cell 3.5 times as long as broad, R1 on a short distance running along wing margin, Rs nearly reaching wing margin; areolet large, well-delimited by distinct veins; Rs+M extending to 2/3 of the distance between areolet and basalis. Tarsal claws with strong acute basal lobe. Metasoma slightly longer than head+mesosoma, all tergites with very dense white setae laterally; micropunctures on tergites invisible; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium less than 5.0 times as long as broad, with very few short white setae only ventrally, which not extending beyond apex of spine. Body length 4.5– 5.0 mm (holotype female 4.7 mm). Gall (Figs 29–34). The gall develops at the base of the acorn cup and may cover the stunted acorn. The gall has an extremely irregular shape; it may be globular around the acorn, or extend into broad, pointed radiating spines. The diagnostic feature of the gall is its surface texture, which is always smooth, polished and covered in a sticky resin. Mature galls contain a small air space around a distinct thin-walled larval chamber. Across its spines, the gall is 15–55 mm high and 15–35 mm across. The gall is yellow when young, turning pale to reddish brown when mature. The gall of A. dentimitratus closely resembles that of A. assarehi, however, the later with much longer radiating irregular spines and the shape and form of the gall is more irregular, strongly varying. Biology. Only an asexual generation is known from galls on Quercus infectoria Olivier. Galls appear on the tree by mid-summer; adult wasps emerge in November-December. The galls remains on the tree for one year. Rare species. Comments. The extreme rarity of purely asexual lifecycles in oak gallwasps (Stone et al. 2002) suggests that A. assarehi p robably has a sexual generation. The clade of Andricus species that includes A. assarehi all have lifecycles involving alternation between oaks in the sections Quercus (for the asexual generation) and Cerris (for the sexual generation). The sexual generation galls in this clade are commonly small and inconspicuous bud or catkin galls (Melika, Csóka & Pujade-Villar 2000; Cook et al. 2002; Rokas et al. 2003b), and it is probable that the same is true for this new species. Possible hosts from the Cerris oak section in the region include Quercus libani Olivier and Q. brantii Lindl. (= Q. persica Jaub. et Spach). Distribution. Iran, Kordestan province (Bane)., Published as part of Tavakoli, M., Melika, G., Sadeghi, S. E., Pénzes, Z., Assareh, M. A., Atkinson, R., Bechtold, M., Mikó, I., Zargaran, M. R., Aligolizade, D., Barimani, H., Bihari, P., Pirozi, F., Fülöp, D., Somogyi, K., Challis, R., Preuss, S., Nicholls, J. & Stone, G. N., 2008, New species of oak gallwaps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini), pp. 1-64 in Zootaxa 1699 (1) on pages 6-8, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1699.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5107172, {"references":["Stone, G. N., Schonrogge, K., Atkinson, R. J., Bellido, D. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2002) The population biology of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Annual Review of Entomology, 47, 633 - 668.","Melika G., Csoka, G. & Pujade-Villar, J. (2000) Check-list of oak gall wasps of Hungary, with some taxonomic notes (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipinae, Cynipini). Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici, 92, 265 - 296.","Cook, J. M., Rokas, A., Pagel, M. & Stone, G. N. (2002) Evolutionary shifts between host oak sections and host plant organs in Andricus gallwasps. Evolution, 56, 1821 - 1830.","Rokas, A., Melika, G., Abe, Y., Nieves-Aldrey, J. - L., Cook, J. M. & Stone, G. N. (2003 b) Lifecycle closure, lineage sorting and hybridisation revealed in a phylogenetic analysis of European oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) using mitochondrial sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 26, 36 - 45."]}