366 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. no 



Types: I hereby designate the lectotype of this species as the male 

 specimen (MCZ 25126) in the Fall Collection labeled San Antonio, 

 Tex. A cotype (USNM 4221) is labeled Columbus, Tex. 



Material examined: Lectotype and 20 specimens. 



Known distribution: 



United States: Texas: Brownsville (USNM); Columbus (USNM); La Paloma, 

 Oct. 14, 1944 (ELS); San Antonio (MCZ); Victoria (USNM); 



Mexico: Tamaulipas: Matamoros, Mar. 23, 1942, Libby and Moreno (USNM), 

 May, Fenyes Collection (CAS). Tampico, December 21, E. A. Schwarz (USNM). 



Remarks: Material in the U. S. National Museum was reared from 

 blooms of Malvaviseus drummondi from Matamoros, Mexico. Also 

 in the same collection is material collected at Victoria, Tex. on 

 Bumelia sp. 



Apion oblitum Group 



The males of the two species placed in this group have all three 

 tibiae mucronate, in addition the beak of both sexes is abruptly 

 narrowed slightly distad of the antennal insertion and is polished and 

 nearly cylindrical to the tip. The two species do not overlap in range. 

 A. oblitum Smith ranges from Nebraska to Texas and Ai'izona: A. 

 mediocre Sharp occurs in Mexico in the States of Guerrero and Puebla. 



The two species are rather similar in appearance. The dorsal surface 

 of the prothorax of A. oblitum is deeply punctured and mucrones 2 and 

 3 of the male are rather short. The dorsal surface of the prothorax of 

 A. mediocre is shallowly punctured and mucrones 2 and 3 of the male 

 are long. 



Apion (Trichapion) mediocre Sharp 



Figure lQ,a-d 



Apion mediocre Sharp, Biologia Centrali-Americana. Insecta, Coleoptera, 

 Curculionidae: Apioninae, vol. 4, pt. 3, p. 56, 1890. 



Description: Length, 1.95 to 2.50 mm. 



Moderately robust. Black; elytra dull with bluish luster, prothorax 

 more shining; pubescence conspicuous, fine, white, sparse, coarser and 

 denser on sides of mesothorax and metathorax. Male beak slightly 

 shorter than head and prothorax, slightly curved, basal third stoutly 

 cylindrical, abruptly attenuate to basal two-fifths, nearly cylindrical 

 to apex) in dorsal view middle about two-thirds as wide as base; 

 sparsely, finely punctate, basal third very sparsely pubescent. Female 

 beak a little longer than head and prothorax, slightly deflexed at apical 

 two-thirds; in dorsal view stoutly cylindrical at basal fifth, abruptly 

 attenuate to basal two-fifths, cylindrical to apex; in lateral view atten- 

 uating from base to slightly distad of antennal msertion, at middle 

 two-thirds as wide as base; basal fifth sparsely pubescent, dull, apical 



