Type Species. Pystapion erotema Kissinger, new species.

Generic Name. A combination from the Greek pystos, meaning learned, and the generic name, Apion; gender neuter.

Generic Characters. Endophallus with a pair of hooks 35–40 microns long, each on a separate base (similar to frena without the base) and two rows of toothlike structures; vestiture of prothorax and elytra sparse, fine, hairlike, similar to scales on legs; rostrum sexual dimorphism average, in profile rostrum curved, male without expansion on ventral margin near antennal insertion; subcephalic ridge reduced; pronotum without basal flange and basal fovea; 1 specialized seta near apex of interval 7; male tibia 2 mucronate; male pygidium of apionine type; parameres with sides produced into narrow vertical curtain surrounding median lobe, basal piece distinctly curved upward at moderately wide attachment to parameres, parameres fused to basal piece, membranous area without microtrichiae, length of apical lobes and postfenestral plate subequal, apical lobes of parameres a single lobe, apical lobes with 3–4 macrochaetae 10–15 microns long and distinct fields of sensilla, basal median area not studied, fenestrae separated medially, apical lobes adjacent to fenestrae flat, not prominent in profile.

The genus is monobasic.

(Figs. 11, 12)

Description. With generic characters. Length 1.41–1.98 mm; width 0.58–0.90 mm. General aspect piceous. Vestiture white, fine, sparse, apparent, uniform. Male rostrum 0.41–0.57 mm long; 1.15–1.30 as long as prothorax; in profile distinctly curved, sides subparallel basally, somewhat evenly converging distad of insertion of antenna to tip, dorsal margin of scrobe oblique anteriorly, continuing below eye. Female rostrum 0.53–0.71 mm long; 1.39–1.46 as long as prothorax; much as male. Head dorsal margin broadly declivitous above basal margin of eye. Prothorax 0.33–0.49 mm long, at base 1.00–1.17 as wide as long; pronotum surface finely alutaceous, punctures moderately deep, sparse. Elytra at middle with interval 2 2.2–2.7 times as wide as width of stria, somewhat convex, alutaceous, with 1 row of sparse, shallow, minute punctures bearing scales similar to pronotum; stria deep, coarse with punctures bearing scales similar to adjacent interval; on apex striae not impressed more strongly, joining 1 þ 9, 2 (isolated), 3 þ 4, 5 þ 6, 7 þ 8. Flight wings reduced, not functional. Male characters: tibia 2 with stout, rounded mucro 30–35 microns long.

Type Material. Holotype, male, labeled [printed] ‘‘ ? ’’/[white label in script] ‘‘Chile [Biobío:] Lota, 23.2.84 [23.II.1984], F. Artigas’’/[white label in script] ‘‘On branches of Pinus radiata’’/[printed white label] ‘‘ Apion sp. 9 G Kuschel’’/[printed goldenrod label] ‘‘N. Z. Arthropod Collection NZAC Private Bag 92170 AUCKLAND New Zealand’’/[printed white label] ‘‘measured 00823 DGKissinger’’/[printed red holotype label] ‘‘ HOLOTYPE Pystapion erotema KISSINGER’’ (NZAC). Paratypes 48 total. 5 ?, 5 /, same locality, collector and bionomic data as holotype (NZAC). Chile. Biobío: 1 ?, Concepción, Boca Biobío, 24.V.1959, Coll. Kuschel (NZAC); 1 ?, Ñuble, Los Lleuques, 2.III.1994, T. Cekalovic (DGKC); 10 ? 8 /, Concepción, Escuadrón, 15.IX.1989, T. Cekalovic (DGKC); 1 ? 3 /, Concepción, Loma Colorada, 21.V.1988, T. Cekalovic (CMNC). Araucanía: 1 ? 3 /, Malleco, Malalcahuello, Las Nalcas, 8.III.1989, T. Cekalovic (DGKC); 7 ? 3 /, Malleco, Faldas [Faldeos] del Volcán, Lonquimay, 15.III.1989, T. Cekalovic (CMNC).

Biology. ‘‘Probably on Fabaceae (Lupinus ?) but the series collected by Artigas is said to have been on Pinus radiata [D. Don] young plants.’’ (G. Kuschel, in litt.).

Etymology. From Greek erotema, neuter, meaning question (Brown 1956: 107).