Exapion

Bedel, 1887

seed weevils

Species Guides

Exapion fuscirostre(Scotch broom seed weevil)
Exapion ulicis(Gorse Seed Weevil)

Exapion is a of straight-snouted weevils in the Brentidae. are specialized seed of leguminous plants, particularly members of the Fabaceae tribe Genisteae. Several species have been employed as agents against shrubs. The genus was separated from Apion based on morphological and genetic evidence.

Exapion ulicis by (c) Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd., some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Exapion by (c) Ian Ballam, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ian Ballam. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Exapion: /ɛkˈseɪ.pi.ɒn/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

Native to the Palearctic region. have been introduced to North America, New Zealand, and Australia as agents. GBIF records indicate presence in Norway and Sweden.

Host Associations

Ulex spp. (gorses) - E. ulicis and E. lemovicinum infest different Ulex at different seasons
Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) - E. fuscirostre is a major seed
Malva spp. - E. malvae associated with this

Ecological Role

Seed of leguminous shrubs. can significantly reduce seed production of plants; E. ulicis larvae have been observed destroying 91% of seeds within infested pods.

Human Relevance

Several introduced as agents for weeds: E. ulicis for gorse (Ulex europaeus) in western North America, New Zealand, and elsewhere; E. fuscirostre for Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

Similar Taxa

ApionExapion was formerly included in Apion; separated based on morphological and genetic characters. Molecular data confirm distinctiveness of Exapion .

More Details

Taxonomic history

Several Exapion were formerly classified in Apion. The genus is now placed in Brentidae, though some sources (e.g., NCBI) may still list it under Apionidae.

Ecological specialization

E. ulicis and E. lemovicinum demonstrate temporal isolation of reproductive periods and specialization to different gorse , representing a case of ecological speciation in sympatry.