Preeti Mishra and Vidya Patni
Based on scanning and transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy this paper describes the structural and histochemical features of leaf galls of Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus of Himalayan region of India. These galls are induced by Cecidomyiid (unknown Itonideae). These studies emphasize that the development of a gall is not totally depend on both, insects’ nutrition and the mode of protection it needs from the enemies. In the development process some tissues develop to nourish the larva like parenchymatous and nutritive tissues. Nutritive tissues showed deposition of granular food grains. On the other hand sclerenchymatous layers and trichomes protect the insects’ progeny from the external environment. These barriers are required to let successfully complete the life cycle of the insect. Outer and inner sclereids make the gall tougher till the pupal stage of the cecidomyiid. Afterwards helps in the dispersal of the adult insect and complete the life cycle. Thus at some stages development of specialized tissues wholly controlled by the nutritive stage of insect(nutritive hypothesis), simultaneously some tissues develop to protect insects’ progeny from herbivores and parasites (enemy hypothesis). Synchronization of these factors at times helps in the development of a complex anatomy of the cecidomyiid leaf galls of Q. leucotrichophora.
