Strong hollyhock shrew weevil
| Strong hollyhock shrew weevil | ||||||||||||
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Vigorous hollyhock shrew weevil |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Aspidapion validum | ||||||||||||
| ( Germar , 1817) |
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| Fig. 1: side view | Fig. 2: Top view |
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| Fig. 3: Bottom | Fig. 4: Front view |
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| Fig. 5: Proboscis (M ♂, F ♀) | Fig. 6: Front rails |
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| Fig. 7: Label (breast label on the right) | |
The Strong Hollyhocks-Spitzmausrüssler ( Aspidapion validum ) is a beetle from the subfamily of Apioninae within the family of brentidae (Brentidae). Aspidapion has traditionally been listed as a subgenus of the genus Apion . The genus Aspidapion is represented in Europe with two subgenus, Aspidapion validum belongs to the subgenus Aspidapion with four other species , so it is called in detail Aspidapion (Aspidapion) validum .
The part of the name "strong" is the translation of the species name válidum ( Latin for "strong") into German and delimits the species from the very similar Central European but somewhat smaller species Aspidapion radiolus . The beetle occurs almost exclusively on the hollyhock and the part of the name Spitzmausrüssler is the German name for the species traditionally grouped under apion . The generic name Aspidapion (from the generic name Apion and ancient Greek ἀσπίς "aspís, aspídos" for "shield") indicates the long label with two bumps.
Characteristics of the beetle
The small beetle with the typical pear-shaped figure of the Apionidae reaches a length of 3.2 to four millimeters measured from the front edge of the eye to the end of the body and is therefore clearly longer than Aspidion radiolus , which measures a maximum of three millimeters. Together with its trunk, the beetle measures four to 4.6 millimeters. The coloration with metallic bluish shining elytra and less shining black head and pronotum are found in numerous species of the family.
The flat head (without trunk) is as wide as it is long and widens towards the rear (Fig. 5). It is roughly and deeply punctured . On the forehead it has a shallow longitudinal furrow which ends at the root of the trunk. Towards the front it is drawn out into a long trunk that is evenly curved when viewed from the side, but does not merge straight into the forehead at the root, but is bent upwards by about 10 (Fig. 1). In length, thickness and puncture the trunk differs significantly in the two sexes. In the females (Fig. 5 F) it is as long as the distance from the eyes to the rear edge of the pronotum, and slimmer than in the males. In front of the deflection point of the antennae, it narrows in an arc and widens again towards the tip. The dots are fine and the shine is more intense than on the head. In the male (Fig. 5 M) the trunk is only slightly longer than the pronotum. It is only slightly thickened above the antennae, otherwise it is as thick as the widest point of the thigh of the forefoot; towards the tip it narrows evenly and only slightly. There, too, it is roughly dotted and less shiny than that of the female. The eleven-segment antennae are not kneeled; the last three antennae-segments form a sharply set off and pointed club that is more than twice as thick as the thin antennae. The slightly offset tip of the club simulates a fourth club link. The eyes are longitudinally oval and only slightly curved. They do not protrude laterally beyond the outline of the head (Fig. 5).
The pronotum is as long as it is wide, the same width in the middle and at the base, and narrows towards the front. It is slightly constricted at the base and more constricted shortly behind the front edge (Fig. 2). A shallow longitudinal furrow runs from the base to the middle. The dotting is coarse and the oval dots are as large as those of the head. At each point a bristle arises, which lies forward and is no longer than the point. In natural light, the pronotum appears dull like the head.
The metallic blue or blue-green glossy elytra are very finely hairy, so that they appear almost bare to the naked eye. They are streaked by rows of dots; the spaces are three to four times as wide as the rows of dots and have two to three rows of very fine dots. A stripe with noticeably light hairs runs laterally under the edge of the wing cover from the pronotum to the rear hips (Fig. 1).
The label (Fig. 7) is two and a half times as long as it is wide at the base. At the base there is a small elongated hump on each side, which when viewed from the side rise clearly arched over the elytra. The cusps are united at the base, so that they together form a raised U open towards the rear. The label is bent up at the tip, but there it only protrudes slightly over the elytra.
Legs and rails are imperforated, the tarsi four-limbed. The front rails of the males (Fig. 6 M) are slightly curved inward and end in an inwardly curved spine. In the females, the thorn is missing and the rails are straight on the outside (Fig. 6 F).
biology
The beetle appears from May to October. The species belongs together with Aspidapion radiolus , the Krummrüssligen Hollyhocks-Spitzmaulrüssler and Langrüssligen hollyhock Spitz mice central European species of the family, predominantly in the hollyhock develop. The host plants also include the common marshmallow . According to some authors, the larva develops in the stem, according to others in the ovules.
distribution
The center of the distribution area is in Central and Western Asia. Via southern Europe the species also radiates into Central Europe, where, after being introduced via seeds, it is often briefly settled. The species seems to be spreading to the west and north and has probably reached France by now. Finds from Saxony-Anhalt only existed before 1950, which is why the species is listed under category 0 in the Red Lists. In Baden-Württemberg there are many more sites after 1950 compared to the finds before 1950. The sites extend from the planar to the montane level, but are mainly in the submontane level (400 m - 700 m).
literature
- Heinz joy , Karl Wilhelm Harde , Gustav Adolf Lohse (ed.): The beetles of Central Europe . tape 10 : Bruchidae – Curculionidae 1 . Goecke & Evers , Krefeld 1981, ISBN 3-87263-029-6 .
- Klaus Koch : The Beetles of Central Europe . Ed .: Heinz Freude . tape 3 : ecology . Goecke & Evers, Krefeld 1992, ISBN 3-87263-042-3 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Aspidapion validum in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved October 3, 2012
- ↑ Aspidapion in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved October 3, 2012
- ↑ Aspidapion (subgenus) in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved October 3, 2012
- ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (species)
- ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (genus)
- ↑ a b Podlussány Attila: A Mályvaféléken ELÖ Apionfajok elöfordulása a Bakony Hegységben (occurrence of living on Malvaceae Apion species in Bakony) Külenlenyomat Veszprém Megyei Múzeumok közleményei 16 kötetéböl as PDF ( page no longer available , searching web archives ) info: The Link was automatically marked as broken. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Klaus Koch : The beetles of Central Europe . Ed .: Heinz Freude . tape 3 : ecology . Goecke & Evers, Krefeld 1992, ISBN 3-87263-042-3 .
- ↑ a b Red Lists in Germany
- ↑ Red lists of weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) of the State of Saxony-Anhalt 2nd version, as of: February 2004 Reports of the State Office for Environmental Protection Saxony-Anhalt 39 (2004)
- ^ Distribution map from ARGE SWD
Web links
- ARGE profile
- Brief information nature walk
- Aspidapion validum in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved October 5, 2012