Arthropod communities associated with gall-inducing Aciurina bigeloviae and Aciurina trixa (Diptera: Tephritidae) in New Mexico.

This article focuses on the characterization of arthropod communities associated with two sister gall-inducing fly species, *Aciurina bigeloviae* and *Aciurina trixa* (Diptera: Tephritidae), in New Mexico. By rearing insects from 3,800 galls collected across 14 sites, the study identified 24 associated species spanning six ecological guilds, including parasitoids, predators, and inquilines, revealing richer and more complex communities than previously documented for similar gall systems. Notably, the inquiline weevil *Anthonomus cycliferus* was found to coexist with *A. trixa* without negatively impacting the fly's fitness or gall size. The findings highlight the role of these gall-inducing flies as ecosystem engineers that sustain diverse, multi-trophic arthropod communities, emphasizing the importance of describing such interactions for biodiversity conservation amid environmental change.