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Using Gall Wasps On Oaks To Test Broad Ecological Concepts, P.W. Price, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii, M.D. Hunter, G. Melika

Warren G. Abrahamson, II

Planning conservation of insect herbivores requires knowing what needs to be conserved and developing a set of predictor variables that aid management. We conducted a state-wide survey to examine the species richness of gall wasps ( Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) on six oak species dominant in the threatened scrub-oak vegetation in peninsular Florida. Eighty-eight cynipid species were recorded; 23 were new species to Florida (a 35% increase), including 17 species new to science and 6 species newly recorded in the state. The cynipid species represented 68% of cynipids of Florida, on only 24% of oak species sampled. This fauna represents a hotspot …