Abai, MR

6th International Congress of DipterologyKey Words: maggot, debridement, wound, hospice∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗∗Fallen leaves revitalized by a gall midgeTokuda, M. (1)(2), N. Mizusawa (3), S. Takahashi (4), S. Nishimura (5), J. Yukawa (6) &T. Fukatsu (1)(1) Institute for Biological Resources and Functions, National Institute of AdvancedIndustrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan; (2) JSPSResearch Fellow(3) Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902,Japan(4) Department of Soils and Fertilizers, National Agricultural Research Center, Tsukuba305-8666, Japan(5) Department of Global Resources, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Scineces,Tsukuba 305-8604, Japan(6) Kyushu University, Hakozaki, Fukuoka 812-8581, JapanMany biologists have paid special attention to plant-herbivore relationshipsfor studying biological interactions and coevolutionary processes. Amongherbivores, galling insects are notable in that they manipulate plant tissuesin a sophisticated manner to induce specific plant morphology for theirown sake. Here we report a gall midge, Contarinia sp. (Diptera:Cecidomyiidae), that induce leaf galls on Styrax japonica and shows astriking ability to regulate the survival, growth, and multiplication of hostplant cells. While larvae of other S. japonica-associated gall midges maturequickly and leave their leaf galls before summer, the Contarinia speciesremained as first instar in the galls throughout summer. The larvae startedto develop into second and third (=final) instars in September, when manygalled and ungalled host leaves had already fallen. Coincident with thelarval development, flat subglobular galls started to grow into globularshape, even when the galls were on fallen leaves. On the fallen leaves, thenumber and size of the plant cells in the gall tissue significantly increased267