Neuroterus valhalla

Neuroterus valhalla
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Cynipidae
Genus:	Neuroterus
Species:	N. valhalla
Binomial name
Neuroterus valhalla Brandão-Dias, Zhang, Pirro, Vinson, Weinersmith, Ward, Forbes & Egan, 2022

Neuroterus valhalla is a species of gall wasp from North America that forms galls on the Southern Live Oak ( Quercus virginiana ). It was first discovered on the campus of Rice University. ^{[1] [2]}

This species of gall wasp produces a chemical which in turn manipulates the host tree into providing for the wasp eggs. The tree does this by providing a protective layer around the eggs and nutrition for the larva.

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References

1. Brandão-Dias, Pedro F. P.; Zhang, Yuanmeng Miles; Pirro, Stacy; Vinson, Camila C.; Weinersmith, Kelly L.; Ward, Anna K. G.; Forbes, Andrew A.; Egan, Scott P. (January 2022). "Describing biodiversity in the genomics era: A new species of Nearctic Cynipidae gall wasp and its genome" . Systematic Entomology. 47 (1): 94–112. Bibcode:2022SysEn..47...94B. doi:10.1111/syen.12521. ISSN   0307-6970. S2CID   245838502.
2. "Neuroterus Valhalla: Biologists Discover New Insect Species". Nature World News. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
3. Brandão-Dias, Pedro F. P.; Zhang, Yuanmeng Miles; Pirro, Stacy; Vinson, Camila C.; Weinersmith, Kelly L.; Ward, Anna K. G.; Forbes, Andrew A.; Egan, Scott P. (January 2022). "Describing biodiversity in the genomics era: A new species of Nearctic Cynipidae gall wasp and its genome" . Systematic Entomology. 47 (1): 94–112. Bibcode:2022SysEn..47...94B. doi:10.1111/syen.12521. ISSN   0307-6970. S2CID   245838502.
4. "Neuroterus Valhalla: Biologists Discover New Insect Species". Nature World News. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2023.