Mythapion trifolianum Kissinger

Kissinger, David G., 2005, Review Of Apioninae Of Chile (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Apionidae), The Coleopterists Bulletin 59 (1), pp. 71-90 : 86-87

Mythapion trifolianum Kissinger , new species

( Figs. 17–18 )

Description. With generic characters. Length 1.57–1.83 mm; width 0.77–0.88 mm. General aspect reddish piceous, elytra except suture and lateral margin, femora, and tibiae in part, and abdominal sterna somewhat lighter. Vestiture of pronotum and elytra yellowish, minute, inconspicuous; around eye and on sides of pro-, meso-, and metathorax scales whitish, sparse, and larger. Male rostrum 0.38–0.44 mm long; 0.92–1.07 as long as prothorax; in profile ventral margin almost straight, dorsal margin distinctly curved, sides distinctly converging from insertion of antenna to apex; dorsal margin of scrobe oblique anteriorly, continuing below eye. Female rostrum 0.51–0.62 mm long; 1.26–1.42 as long as prothorax; in dorsal view sides subparallel throughout, not expanded at apex; in profile dorsal margin of scrobe evenly descending toward eye. Head dorsal margin broadly declivitous above basal margin of eye. Prothorax 0.39–0.44 mm long, at base 1.04–1.14 as wide as long; pronotum surface finely alutaceous, punctures shallow, sparse, minute. Elytra at middle with interval 2 about six times as wide as stria, polished, flat, with 1 row of sparse, shallow, minute punctures bearing minute scales; striae shallow, fine, punctures minute (surrounded by larger dark circular pattern), essentially glabrous; on apex striae joining 1 þ 2 þ 9, 3 þ 4, 5 þ 6, 7 þ 8. Flight wings present. Male characters: tibiae 1–3 mucronate on apical margin; mucro on tibia 1 fine, acute, 12 microns long; mucro on tibia 2 fine, acute, 15 microns long; mucro on tibia 3 broad, blunt, 12 microns long.

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled [printed white label] ‘‘ 18 km E. San Carlos, Ñuble , CHILE [. Biobío:], XII-24–50 [24.XII.1950]’’/[printed white label] ‘‘ Ross and Michelbacher Collectors’ ’/[printed white label] ‘‘measured 00791 DGKissinger’’/[printed goldenrod label] ‘‘ N. Z. Arthropod Collection NZAC Private Bag 92170 AUCKLAND New Zealand’ ’/[printed white label] ‘‘ Apion sp. 7 (‘‘trifolianus’’) G Kuschel’ ’/[printed red holotype label] ‘‘ HOLOTYPE Mythapion trifolianum KISSINGER’’ [specimen dissected, abdomen and right tibiae 1–3 in glycerin in attached microvial] ( NZAC) . Paratypes 79 total. 3? 5 /, same locality, bionomic and collector data as holotype ( NZAC) . Chile. Metropolitana de Santiago: 1? 1 /, Arrayán , 21.IV.1946, O. Barros ( NZAC) ; 1 /, El Canelo , 14.XI.1945, T. Ramirez ( NZAC) ; 2? [teneral], El Monte , II.1955, s/ Trifolium repens , ‘‘dralhpu leg.’’ ( NZAC) . Maule: 1 /, Parral, Bullileo , I.1979 ( CMNC) . Biobío: 1 /, Concepción, Boca Biobío, 24.V.1957, Coll. Kuschel ( NZAC) ; 6? 3 /, Concepción, Hualqui , 12–14.IV.2002, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) ; 5? 13 /, Concepción , Fundo El Manzano, 12–23.X.1999 or 8.XI.1992 or 21–23.IV.1996 or 23.IV.2002, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) ; 1? 1 /, Concepción, Periquillo, 6.XI.1994, T. Cekalovic, ex Aristotelia chilensis (CMNC) ; 2? 3 /, Concepción , Periquillo , 20.IX.1999 or 13.X.1995 or 22.III.1997, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) ; 1 /, Los Angeles , 22.I.1944, G. Kuschel ( NZAC) . Araucanía: 2? 2 /, Malleco, Curacautín , 8.XII.1950, G. Kuschel ( NZAC) ; 1 /, Cautín, Lonquimay Valley , 23.XII.1994, G. Kuschel, sweeping Scirpus swamp ( NZAC) ; 1 /, Volcan Llaima , 28.XII.1982, G. Kuschel ( NZAC) ; 1 /, Temuco , 26.IV.1961, Lloyd leg. ( NZAC) ; ‘‘ El Vergel Arigol?,’’ [El Vergel Angol] [found during import inspection] ex white clover from Chile , 16, July 1924: 1? 3 /, FHB #52521, W. B. Wood; 2E, FHB #52522, P. H. Glick ( USNM) [El Vergel is an old farm nearest to Angol City; it was run for many years by Dillman S. Bullock (M. Elgueta, in litt.)]. Los Lagos: 1 /, Chiloe´, Is. Chiloe´, Pindapulli , 24.I.2000, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) ; 1 /, Chiloe´ , Is. Chiloe´, 5 km S Conchi, 25.I.2000, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) ; 2?, Chiloe´, Is. Chiloe´, Pudeto , 7.II.1994, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) ; 1 /, Llanquihue, Frutillar , 10.I.1956, Coll. Kuschel ( NZAC) ; 3 /, Pto Montt , 19-20.II.1945, E. A. Chapin, Loan from USNMNH 22019129 ( USNM) ; 1? 3 /, Osorno, Playa Puyehue, P. N. Puyehue, site 30A, El 185 m, 1.II.1979, Valdivian Rain Forest , A. C. Ashworth, J. W. Hoganson ( USNM) ; 1 /, Valdivia, Río Bueno , 16– 17.II.1978, L. Peña ( CMNC) ; 1?, Valdivia, Parque Oncol, Río Cruces , 5.II.1999, T. Cekalovic ( DGKC) . Magallanes: 1 /, Laguna Escondida , 8.III.1969, leg. T. Cekalovic ( CMNC) . Chile: 1 /, [found during import inspection at] Phila [delphia, PA], #003869, 7.IV.1975, alive with apples (fruit) ( USNM) .

Biology. Associated with Trifolium repens L. and Aristotelia chilensis according to label data; larvae in fruit of Trifolium repens L. ( Fabaceae ) (G. Kuschel, in litt.). There are more than a dozen species of Trifolium native to Chile (G. Kuschel, in litt.).

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

See M. rufonigrum for comparison with M. trifolianum .

Figures

Figs. 17–18. Mythapion trifolianum. Fig. 17. Dorsal view, female (A, B same enlargement, no scale: A, punctures on frons; B, punctures on apex of pronotum). Fig. 18. Lateral view, male, head and prothorax. Scale ¼ 0.36 mm.