Tricholaba trifolii Rübsaamen, 1917

Fjellberg, Arne & Fedotova, Zoya, 2024, New records of gall midges (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) from Norway, Norwegian Journal of Entomology 71, pp. 8-94 : 54-55

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15883449
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/58317C7D-B13B-FFA6-9D70-DDA7E7D18376
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Tricholaba trifolii Rübsaamen, 1917
status

Treatment

* Tricholaba trifolii Rübsaamen, 1917 View in CoL

( Figure 32 View FIGURE 32 )

Material: VE, Larvik: Stavernshallen, 58.991849°N 10.027331°E ± 5m, 23 July 2021, leaf galls on Trifolium repens , 5L, leg. TS, coll. NHMO; Ø, Marker: W of Søndre Røen, 59.547190°N 11.575940°E ± 3m, 6 August 2021, leaf galls on Trifolium pratense , L, leg. TS, coll. NHMO; AK, Oslo: Blindern, 59.940044°N 10.717459°E ± 10m, 15 September 2020, leaf galls on Trifolium pratense, LMF , leg. HE, coll. NHMO; Tøyen, Botanical Garden, 59.916840°N 10.768152°E ± 10m, 27 July 2021, leaf galls on Trifolium pratense , L, leg. HE & SH, coll. NHMO; Ellingsrud, 59.932462°N 10.920727°E ± 5m, 10 September 2022, galls of Dasineura trifolii on leaves of Trifolium repens , L, leg. HE, coll. NHMO; 59.932163°N 10.920907°E ± 10m, 12 September 2022, leaf galls on Trifolium pratense , L, leg. HE, coll. NHMO; Ullensaker: Gardermoen, 60.1933889°N 11.0956111°E ± 40m, 23 July 2021, leaf galls on Trifolium pratense , L, leg. SH, coll. NHMO.

Biology and notes: The yellow to pale orange larvae develop on Trifolium medium , T. pratense and T. repens ( Fabaceae ). The species, as currently understood, has several different modes of attack. It may develop either in the capitula or in galled leaflets. In the latter case, the species may either make galls of its own or it may live as an inquiline in the galls of Dasineura trifolii (F. Löw, 1874) . In both cases, the gall consists of a leaflet folded up over the midrib, with the larvae living in the fold. If the galler is Dasineura trifolii , the galled leaflet is weakly inflated near the midrib to form a shallow pouch. If the galler is Tricholaba trifolii , the inflation is lacking, and the leaflet is often somewhat bent ( Figure 32 A View FIGURE 32 ). Bi- or multivoltine. Pupation and hibernation in the soil.

We here report the species from leaf galls on Trifolium pratense and T. repens . We have also collected Tricholaba from the flowers of all the three known Trifolium hosts, but our preliminary barcoding results indicate that there may be more than one Tricholaba species involved in the flowers. It should be noted that Milne (1960) found differences in the male and female antennae between Tricholaba collected from the flowers and specimens collected from leaf galls, leading him to describe those from the flowers as a distinct species, T. barnesi . Stelter (1988a), however, could not confirm these differences, and T. barnesi is currently considered a synonym of T. trifolii . Pending closer study, it seems premature to report our material from flowers as T. trifolii . Ufortunately, we have not yet had a chance to barcode specimens from leaf galls for comparison.

Distribution: Western palearctic. Known from several European countries including Norway and Sweden.