Taxomyia taxi (Inchbald, 1861)
on Taxus
Taxus baccata, Zwolle, 3.v.2018 © Arnold Grosscurt
gall with exuvium
two-years old gall
another specimen
same gall, partially opened
same gall, with pupa
imago
Taxus baccata, Zwolle, Zandhove, 16.iv.2019 © Arnold Grosscurt: the one-year old gall is hardly distunguishable from a normal bud
opened gall
Taxus baccata, Belgium, prov. Namur, Chimay © Stéphane Claerebout
gall and exuvium
fresh gall (left), opened gall (top right) and vacated gall (bottom right) (from Mik, 1885a).
gall
The larva usually needs two years for its development, but sometimes just one. In the first case, by far the most common, an artichoke gall is formed of 1-3 cm; its centre consists of a few broad thin scales that enclose a cavity in which one orange larva lies. When the larva develops in one year essentially only this inner part of the gall is formed, less than 6 mm in size. Pupation in the gall.
host plants
Taxaceae, monophagous
Taxus baccata.
larva
the prosternum has no spatula (from Möhn, 1955a)
predators
Mesopolobus aspilus; Torymus nigritarsus.
synonyms
Oligotrophus taxi.
references
Askew, Blasco-Zumeta & Pujade-Villar (2001a), Barnes (1951a), Béguinot (2006c), Bellmann (2012a), Bodziarczyk, Widlak & Siwa (2016a), Buhr (1965a), Chinery (2011a), Cilbircioğlu & Ünal (2009a), Dauphin & Aniotsbehere (1997a), Doğanlar (2017a, Gagné (2010a), Grosscurt (2022b), Haarder, Bruun, Harris & Skuhravá (2016a), Hellrigl (2006a), Houard (1908a), Kieffer (1901c), Kollár (2007a, 2011a), Koops (2013a), Lambinon, Carbonnelle & Claerebout (2015a), Lovett & Chappell (1970a), Mik (1885a), Möhn (1955a), Redfern & Cameron (1994a, 1997a), Redfern & Hunter (2005a), Redfern & Shirley (2011a), Roskam (2009a), Roskam & Carbonnelle (2015a), Skuhravá, Bayram, Çam ao (2005a), Skuhravá & Skuhravý (1994a, 1997a, 1999a, 2010a, 2012a, 2021a: 276), Skuhravá, Skuhravý, Blasco-Zumeta & Pujade-Villar (2006a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Buhr (2013a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý, Dauphin & Coutin (2005a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Hellrigl (2001a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý & Meyer (2014a), Skuhravá, Skuhravý, Skrzypczyńska & Szadziewski (2008a), Tomasi (2003a, 2014a), Unal & Akkuzu (2009a).