the sawfly, Rhogogaster genistae

squishy · #1 (**permalink**) 19-07-2009, 08:45 PM

I was recently trying to ID a sawfly, and one of the possible matches for it was Rhogogaster genistae.

I subsequently searched google images to try and find a good reference photo and drew a complete blank. One photo of the larvae, and that was it, plus there was very little information in general about it.

Is this species very rare? in what little information I could find it mentioned that, due to nearly all reproduction being done parthenogenetically, the males are very rare, but there was no mention of the commonness of the female.

Does anyone have any info to share on this species?

Jason Green · #2 (**permalink**) 19-07-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squishy

I was recently trying to ID a sawfly, and one of the possible matches for it was Rhogogaster genistae.

If there aren't any photographs of it available, how did you come to this possible ID - a key, another forum, suggestion? By the way, it was renamed or described Cytisogaster genistae by Benson, 1947 apparently.

As for this sawfly, could you post the photo up? I can't find any images either.

EDIT: A world version of NBN has a distribution map, under R. genistae... http://data.gbif.org/species/16047171/

squishy · #3 (**permalink**) 20-07-2009, 08:17 AM

no, i've sort of discounted it in the ID, but i'm just asking for information on this species, as i'm having trouble finding any on the internet

charlieb · #4 (**permalink**) 20-07-2009, 11:14 AM

According to the BRC Database of Insects and their Food Plants, R. genistae larvae feed on Genista tinctoria Dyer’s Greenweed, Cytisus scoparius Common Broom and other species in the family Papilionaceae, the adults fly in May, June and July.

Refs. from the BRC:

Lorenz, H. & Kraus, M. (1957) Die larvalsystematik der blattwespen. Abhandlungen zur larvalsystematik der insekten 1 1-339:62
Benson, R.B.(1952) Handbk Ident. Br. Insects VI:2B 51-137:120