''Philonix'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of oak gall wasps in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Cynipidae Gall wasps, also incorrectly called gallflies, are hymenopterans of the family Cynipidae in the wasp superfamily Cynipoidea. Their common name comes from the galls they induce on plants for larval development. About 1,300 species of this genera ...

.Poole, R.W. & P. Gentili, 1996. Hymenoptera, Mecoptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Raphidioptera, Trichoptera. ''Nomina Insecta Nearctica: A Check List of the Insects of North America.'' Vol 2. Melika, G. & Abrahamson, W.G. (2002) Review of the World Genera of Oak Cynipid Wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini). ''In:'' Melika, G. & Thuróczy, C. (Eds.), ''Parasitic Wasps: Evolution, Systematics, Biodiversity and Biological Control''. ''International Symposium: “Parasitic Hymenoptera: Taxonomy and Biological Control” (14–17 May 2001, Kõszeg, Hungary).'' Agroinform, Budapest, pp. 150–190. Species in this genus are only known from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The

larvae A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

of ''Philonix'' wasps induce

galls Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to be ...

white oaks The genus ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus ''Quercus'' was divided into the two subgenera '' ...

that are typically spherical, soft and fleshy. Galls are usually formed on the underside of leaves. Adult wasps are similar in appearance to species in the genus '' Acraspis''. Many gall wasps have alternate sexual and asexual generations, but this has not been documented in ''Philonix''. The genus was first named and described by

Asa Fitch Asa Fitch (February 24, 1809 – April 8, 1879) was a natural historian and entomologist from Salem, New York. His early studies were of both natural history and medicine, which he studied at the newly formed Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, g ...

in 1859. The following species are recognised in the genus ''Philonix'': * '' P. fulvicollis'' Fitch, 1859 * '' P. gigas'' Weld, 1922 * '' P. insulensis'' ( Kinsey, 1936) * '' P. lanaeglobuli'' ( Ashmead, 1887) * '' P. latigenae'' (Kinsey, 1936)

References

Cynipidae Gall-inducing insects Oak galls Insects described in 1859 Insects of Canada Hymenoptera of North America Taxa named by Asa Fitch Hymenoptera genera {{apocrita-stub