''Rabdophaga saliciperda'' is a species of gall midges which forms

gall 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 ...

s on willows (''Salix'' species). It was first described by

Léon Jean Marie Dufour Léon Jean Marie (or Jean-Marie Léon) Dufour (10 April 1780, Saint-Sever – 18 April 1865) was a French medical doctor and naturalist. Between 1799 and 1806 he studied medicine in Paris then returned to Saint-Sever in the Landes. He participate ...

in 1841.

Description

The woody, irregular swellings are on the twigs of willows with the larval chambers just below the bark. Larvae are in individual chambers and are described as yellowish-orange, or greenish yellow to white or reddish depending on the authority. Larvae prepare emergence windows before pupating. Galls have been recorded on '' Salix alba'', ''S. aurita'', ''S. aurita'' x ''cinerea'', ''S. cinerea'' subsp. ''oleifolia'', ''S. caprea'' , '' Salix × fragilis'' and ''S. repens''.

Distribution

Has been recorded from Europe, Japan and Russia.

Inquilines

The inquiline ''Lestodiplosis gammae'' has also been found in this gall and the gall of '' R. salicis''.

References

saliciperda Diptera of Asia Nematoceran flies of Europe Gall-inducing insects Insects described in 1841 Taxa named by Léon Jean Marie Dufour Willow galls {{Bibionomorpha-stub