Recent Divergence of Neolitsea-associated Pseudasphondylia Gall Midges
A new cecidoymiid species, Pseudasphondylia hooki sp. n., was discovered in Taiwan, inducing spherical leaf galls on six Neolitsea plant species: N. acuminatissima, N. daibuensis, N. konishii, N. parvigemma, N. sericea, and N. variabillima. Our morphological and molecular data confirmed that P. hooki is distinct from its Japanese congener, P. neolitseae, although the two species share similar morphology and gall features. Our phylogenetic tree indicated that geographical isolation may be responsible for their speciation in the Pleistocene, and the N. sericea is assumed to be their primitive host plant. Besides, the divergence pathway of P. hooki from north to south in Taiwan was suggested by the distributions of primitive (N. sericea) and most derived hosts (N. daibuensis).
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