Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 91. (Budapest 1999)

Skuhravá, M. ; Skuhravý, V.: Gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyidae) of Hungary

locality, 52 species, we collected at the locality Hont lying in the northernmost part of Hungary at the boundary with the Slovak Republic. The average number of gall midge species found at one locality was 29 and may be evaluated as relatively high in comparison, for example, with the average number of species in the Slovak Republic where it was 19 (SKUHRAVÁ 1991) and 26 in the Czech Republic (SKUHRAVÁ 1994, 1995). In 1997, 39 gall midge species were found in three localities in the Mátra Mts Galls of 21 gall midge species were found at the highest point of Hungary, at the mount Kékes, 1014 m a. s. 1. which is overgrown with natural beech forest. Number of species forming the gall midge fauna The present fauna of Hungary includes 332 species. This number is relatively high and is comparable with those of other European countries where, for example, 324 species are known in Italy (SKUHRAVÁ & SKUHRAVY 1994), 384 species in Austria (SKUHRAVÁ & SKUHRAVY 1995) and 350 in Slovakia (SKUHRAVÁ 1991). It is higher than in Slovenia where 219 species were ascertained (SiMOVA-TosiÖ et al. 1996) but it is lower than in the Czech Republic where the fauna comprises 500 species (SKUHRAVÁ 1994a, b). In general, the level of knowledge of gall midge fauna in Hungary may be evaluated as good in comparison with those of other Central European countries. The present Hungarian fauna of Cecidomyiidae is formed predominantly by members of the subfamily Cecidomyiinae larvae of which are mainly gall-makers whereas the members of two other subfamilies, Lestremiinae and Porricondylinae, larvae of which are saprophagous and mycophagous, remain unknown till present. Frequency of occurrence We divided all gall midge species occurring in the territory of Hungary according to the number of citations into six frequency groups. The frequency of occurrence is mentioned in the list by each species at the end of the paragraph using terms solitary, scarce, moderate, considerable, abundant, common. In the following part the number of citations is given in parantheses behind the species name. The first group of frequency - solitary occurrence - comprises 70 gall midge species (22%) of which each is cited only in one paper. For example, Asphondylia ruebsaameni KERTÉSZ, 1898, causing galls on Ferula heuffelii, has not been found since the time of its description, similarly as Contarinia martagonis KIEFFER, 1896, causing galls on Lilium martagon. Orseolia cynodontis developing on Cynodon dactylon known to occur in Italy was found at only one locality in the middle part of Hungary. The second group includes 53 gall midge species (18%) which occur scarcely and were cited only in two papers. For example, Ametrodiplosis thalictricola causing galls on fruits of Thalictrum and Cecidomyia pini whose larvae develop on the needles of Pinus. It is interesting that only two papers dealt with Dasineura brassicae which is considered to be a serious pest of rape in the Czech Republic. Galls of Dasineura tubularis on the leaves of Quercus cerris were found only two times although other species associated with Quercus cerris are very abundant and Dryomyia circinans is a common species.