Tanaostigmodes sp. (genus) (Undescribed)

2 Bossiaea gall wasp at Mount Clear, ACT

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Identification history

Tanaostigmodes sp. (genus) (Undescribed)	4 Mar 2017	RogerF
Tanaostigmodes sp. (genus) (Undescribed)	4 Mar 2017	michaelb
Unidentified	7 Nov 2016	KenT

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Significant sighting

michaelb noted:

5 Mar 2017

This is a new and undescribed species, genus Tanaostigmodes (family Tanaostigmatidae), a Bossiaea gall wasp. See comments.

User's notes

Length of pink structures 560-720µm and width 32-36µm. Microscope images with 10x and 20x objectives

12 comments

KenT wrote:

8 Nov 2016

I'm guessing its a myxomycete, but even after looking at a small piece under a microscope I still don't have a clue.

Heino wrote:

11 Nov 2016

I wonder if it's a gall. Long ago (over more than one year) I saw masses of such crimson things on shrubs in the Mt Ginini area and my recollection is that a dissection showed what I'd found to be a gall. From recollection they were confined to one of the pea flowers (Bossiaea comes to mind but I may be mis-remembering my identificationof the host). The striking colour made it very easy to see them froim a distance.

michaelb wrote:

15 Nov 2016

I've moved the sighting into the Unidentified Insects section for others to look at.

Heino wrote:

21 Nov 2016

While looking for something else I came across a photo like this in Roger Farrow's 'Insects of south-eastern Australia'. See page 158, where the galls are attributed to a wasp of the Chalcidoidea - and they are on a Bossiaea!

KenT wrote:

23 Nov 2016

Heino, thanks for persisting with this. I now suspect it could be a gall perhaps either a mite or small wasp. Unfortunately since I found this I've been fighting the dreaded lurgy - its well ahead on points but I'm beginning to stage a come back. Anyway I've been unable to get out to have a further more in depth look, maybe in a week or two.

michaelb wrote:

25 Dec 2016

Hi guys
I have found a very good reference to this in the latest BowerBird newsletter (author Ken Walker):
See pages 17 & 18 of:
http://researchdata.museum.vic.gov.au/BowerBird_Bugle/Edition_49.pdf
In the accompanying photo the galls are also on a Bossiaea at higher altitudes, attributed to an unknown wasp, and also refer to Roger Farrow's book.

KenT wrote:

26 Dec 2016

Thanks Michael, hopefully someone will send him a specimen and perhaps he will be able to rear out the invertebrate, but I wonder if a dying plant part will still support a developing parasite.

michaelb wrote:

27 Dec 2016

Yes Ken, I had the same question. I hope he can do it too.

RogerF wrote:

27 Dec 2016

Its a common insect induced gall on found on bossiaea foliosa but to date I have not succeeded in rearing the culprit out but still trying. As Ken says you need a mature gall to allow the inducer to complete development and emerge. Another method would be to put a sleeve around the gall to trap anything that emerges although this may also include hyper parasites.

michaelb wrote:

4 Mar 2017

Ken Walker has succeeded in rearing the Bossiaea gall wasp and has identified it to genus. It is a new species of Tanaostigmodes (family Tanaostigmatidae). He will work with Dr John LaSalle to describe and write a paper on the new species and give it a name. See Ken’s excellent and detailed essay on the subject in the BowerBird newsletter at:-
http://researchdata.museum.vic.gov.au/BowerBird_Bugle/Edition_50.pdf
I have made a new suggestion for the ID.

michaelb wrote:

12 Apr 2023

Unfortunately Dr John LaSalle died in a head-on car crash in 2018 ....... https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6016608/internationally-respected-canberra-scientist-killed-in-head-on-crash/

RogerF wrote:

12 Apr 2023

Yes I have seen more of these galls on Bossiaea this autumn

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