Aspidapion radiolus chalybeipenne ( Wollaston, 1854 )

Morris, Michael G., Sw, London & Dt, Dorset, 2011, The Apionidae (Coleoptera) of the Canary Islands, with particular reference to the contribution of T. Vernon Wollaston, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 51 (1), pp. 157-182 : 170

Aspidapion radiolus chalybeipenne ( Wollaston, 1854)

( Fig. 4 )

WOLLASTON (1854) described this taxon, as a species, from Madeira, utilising a manuscript name of Schoenherr’s. Its status as a ‘subspecies’ is not entirely satisfactory, but has been accepted by most modern workers. It is very common and has been recorded from all the Canary islands. The usual host is Malva parviflora , but I have taken it at Guarozoca, Hierro, on Lavatera arborea (March 2001) and it has also occurred on L. acerifolia .

There are 2 males and 6 females in the main part of Wollaston’s BMNH collection, from La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. A specimen labelled ‘Type’ is in his Madeiran collection, along with 14 other examples, including four of his ‘var. β’ ( WOLLASTON 1854). 4 males and 5 females are in the OUMNH series, from La Palma, El Hierro, Tenerife and Gran Canaria ; there is also a substantial number in the OUMNH Madeiran collection .

Figures

Figs. 1–4. Habitus of the Apionidae of Canary Islands. 1 – Perapion fallax (Wollaston, 1864), syntype, Wollaston Coll. (BMNH); 2 – Phrissotrichum tubuliferum (Wollaston, 1864), syntype, Wollaston Coll. (BMNH); 3 – Aspidapion acerifoliae Suppantschitsch, 1996, author’s Coll.; 4 – Aspidapion radiolus chalybeipenne (Wollaston, 1854), Wollaston Coll. (BMNH).