Appearance
Each species induces a uniquely shaped gall but the insects are otherwise morphologically very similar and very difficult to tell apart. Their life cycle begins when the female oviposits into the part of the plant which her species prefers, she inserts her egg along with a fungal spore from a mycangia. A gall forms and the fungal mycelium grows to line the inside of the gall, when the egg hatches the developing larva feeds upon the fungus. Adult emergence is timed with periods of plant growth associated with winter, spring, or summer rain fall. In contrast to many other groups of plant-feeding insects the evolution of new species in the "A. auripila" group seems to be a result of colonizing new parts of the same plant and/or colonization of new seasons of plant growth.
Naming
List of species by host-plant part:"Asphondylia clavata" -leaf gall
"Asphondylia pilosa" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia villosa" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia barbata" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia digitata" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia discalis" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia silicula" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia fabalis" - leaf gall
"Asphondylia bullata" - stem gall
"Asphondylia resinosa" - stem gall
"Asphondylia foliosa" - stem gall
"Asphondylia auripila" - stem gall
"Asphondylia rosetta" - stem gall
"Asphondylia florea" - flower gall
"Asphondylia apicata" - bud gall
"Asphondylia borrichiae" - stem gall
References:
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