Oak cynipid gall wasps (Hym.: Cynipidae) and associated parasitoids on Persian oak, Quercus brantii in southern Zagros

Galls are induced as a result of interaction between plant hormones and chemo-stimulants of insects. Some Insects make galls especially cynipid family from Hymenoptera. This paper is taken from the national project titled as collection and identification of gall inducing insects and associated natural enemies in oak forests of Iran. The study was performed in 2005-2006 period in Fars and Khozestan provinces. The main ideas of this project were collection and identification of gall inducing insects and the associated natural enemies. The sampling stations were determined in Fars and Khozestan oak forests and host plants were sampled every two weeks. The galls information such as date of sampling, the species, the region, the height and etc. recorded. The galls put in special dishes in lab and their emergence recorded daily. Then the insects insert in ethanol 75% with their specific code. The seven species of Cynipidae family collected on Quercus brantii were as follow: Aphelonyx persica, Dryocosmus israeli, Neuroterus saliens, Neuroterus lanuginosus, Pseudoneuroterus macropterus, Dryocosmus tavakolii and Dryocosmus mikoi. Nine parasitoid species of six Hymenoptera families were identified as well.