Biology of the Apionidae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) in New Caledonia, a preliminary report

Host records on the weevil family Apionidae in New Caledonia are summarised, based on field observations in 2004-2010, and supplemented with dates of collecting freshly emerged adult specimens obtained from museum collections worldwide. At the genus level, the following generalised host associations of the Apionidae have been documented: Rhadinocyba (only the Rh. singularis-species group), Megatracheloides and Himantapion with Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae); Discelapion, Thyridapion and Pterapion (s. str.) with Pycnandra, Planchonella, and Beccariella (Sapotaceae); Apterapion with Codia (Cunoniaceae); Hellerenius and Caledonapion with Hedycarya (Monimiaceae); Anapotapion with Piper and Macropiper (Piperaceae), Sterculapion with Commersonia (Malvaceae). Various species of Tetrapion were collected either from Codia (Cunoniaceae) or Guioa, Cupaniopsis ( Sapindaceae). Recorded associations of Diapion with Ficus (Moraceae), and Zimmius with Cryptocarya (Lauraceae) still need confirmation. Two generations per season are likely in members of at least Rhadinocyba, Megatracheloides, and Pterapion, judging from the extended period of appearance of teneral specimens. The subgenus Apterapion Wanat, 2001 of Pterapion Faust, 1889 is raised to genus rank, with type-species Apterapion hamiota (Wanat, 2001).