Mythapion adesmiae Kissinger

Kissinger, David G., 2005, Review Of Apioninae Of Chile (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Apionidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 59 (1), pp. 71-90 : 88

Mythapion adesmiae Kissinger , new species

( Figs. 15–16 )

Description. With generic characters. Length 1.79–2.17 mm; width 0.91–1.06 mm. General aspect piceous. Vestiture inconspicuous, minute, white or yellowish, sparse, slightly more apparent on venter and legs. Male rostrum 0.46–0.58 mm long; 1.04–1.28 as long as prothorax; throughout with sparse, moderately deep punctures; in profile moderately curved, gradually narrowing from insertion of antenna to apex; in dorsal view sides subparallel from base to insertion of antenna, not expanded at apex; dorsal margin of scrobe oblique anteriorly, continuing below eye. Female rostrum 0.57–0.62 mm long; 1.26–1.35 as long as prothorax; similar to male. Head dorsal margin flat above basal margin of eye. Prothorax 0.42–0.49 mm long, at base 1.08–1.20 as wide as long; pronotum surface finely alutaceous, punctures moderately dense, moderately deep, moderately coarse. Elytra at middle with interval 2 flat, 3–4 times as wide as stria, polished, with 2 rows of minute punctures bearing minute scales; striae deep, fine, with minute scales smaller than on adjacent interval; on apex striae joining 1 þ 2 þ 9, 3 þ 4, 5 þ 6, 7 þ 8. Flight wings reduced to non-functional stubs. Male characters: tibiae 1–3 mucronate on inner apical margin, mucro simple, acute, 25 microns long.

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled [white label in script] ‘‘ Chile, Aysen [Aisén], Lago B. Aires, Chile Chico, 15-1-56 [15.I.1956]’’/[white label in script] ‘‘s/ Adesmia sp. ’’/[printed white label] ‘‘Coll. Kuschel’’/[printed white label] ‘‘measured 00806 DGKissinger’’/[printed goldenrod label] ‘‘N. Z. Arthropod Collection NZAC Private Bag 92170 AUCKLAND New Zealand’’/[printed white label] ‘‘ Apion sp. 8 (‘‘adesmiae’’) G Kuschel’’/[printed red holotype label] ‘‘ HOLOTYPE Mythapion adesmiae KISSINGER’’ ( NZAC). Paratypes 48 total. 5? 4 /, same locality and bionomic data as holotype except some s/ Adesmiae pegajosa or 16.I.1956 ( NZAC).

Chile. Magallanes: 3? 3 /, Cerro Guido, 400 m, 11.II.1957, s/ Adesmia boronioides, Coll. Kuschel (NZAC) ; 1?, Ult. Esperanza, Cerro Guido, 6.I.1955, Cekalovic Leg ( NZAC); 5? 7 /, Cerro Guido, 11.II.1957, T. Cekalovic ( USNM); 12? 8 /, Ult. Esperanza, Cerro Guido, 11.II.1957, ex Adesmia boronioides, T. Cekalovic (DGKC) .

Biology. Associated with Adesmia sp. , Adesmia boronioides Hook. , and Adesmia pegajosa Garman (Fabaceae) according to label data.

Etymology. The specific name is based on the genus of a possible host plant, Adesmia , as suggested by Dr. Kuschel.

See M. simplex for comparison with M. adesmiae .

Figures

Figs. 15–16. Mythapion adesmiae. 15) Dorsal view, male (A, B same enlargement, no scale: A, punctures on frons; B, punctures on apex of pronotum); 16) lateral view, male. Scale ¼ 0.36 mm.