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	MichaelBedingfield
Unidentified	7 Nov 2016	KenT

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Significant sighting

MichaelBedingfield 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.

MichaelBedingfield 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.

MichaelBedingfield 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.

MichaelBedingfield 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.

MichaelBedingfield 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.

MichaelBedingfield 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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Location information

Sighting information

1 - 3 Abundance
3 Nov 2016 10:32 AM Recorded on
KenT Recorded by
Collections
Significant sightings Insects Parasitic wasps (numerous families) Wasps (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) KenT

Species information

Tanaostigmodes sp. (genus) (Undescribed) Scientific name
Bossiaea gall wasp Common name
Not Sensitive
Local native
Non-invasive or negligible
Up to 1631.63m Recorded at altitude
Machine learning

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