Eutrichapion vorax (Herbst, 1797)

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 : 175-176

Eutrichapion vorax (Herbst, 1797)

WOLLASTON (1864) described this species as new under the species-group name longipes , but felt ‘doubtful whether it should be treated as more than a slightly altered state’ of Apion vorax . Subsequent authors have been in no doubt of its identity. It is fairly widely distributed in the Canaries (La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife) but not common. In Britain and western Europe it feeds as a larva in the flowers of species of Vicia , Faba etc. (e.g. COCKBAIN et al. 1982). However, like many other Apionidae , it is often found on trees and other plants which are not hosts; BRITO & OROMÍ (1986) gave the example of Laurus azoricus .

Wollaston’s BMNH material consists of 3 males and 5 females, all from Tenerife. The specimen labelled ‘Type’ (i.e. of Apion longipes Wollaston ) is a male. The OUMNH series consists of 5 males and 4 females, also all from Tenerife.