4 Records

Status

"The Pachypsylla celtidismamma complex refers to all of the leaf-galling members of the genus Pachypsylla. With our current knowledge, adults belonging to this complex are indistinguishable from each other, though the galls themselves are distinct. Historically, most authors have treated all leaf-gallers other than the blister-galler as synonyms of a single species, P. celtidismamma. However, allozyme frequency testing and electrophoretic analysis suggests that there may be up to seven cryptic leaf-galling species, including an inquiline species.

BugGuide currently recognizes the star-gall maker (P. celtidisasterisca) and disc-gall maker (P. celtidisumbilicus) as distinct species. The hairy nipplegall maker (P. celtidismamma & P. celtidispubescens) and glabrous nipplegall maker (P. celtidiscucurbita & P. celtidisglobula) are treated here as a single species, P. celtidismamma, but they may represent one or two distinct species. Further genetic testing may eventually reveal the extent of species boundaries within this group" (BugGuide, 2017).