Introduced leaf beetles of the Maritime Provinces, 3: the viburnum leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta Viburni (Paykull) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Pyrrhalta viburni (Paykull), the viburnum leaf beetle, is an introduced Palearctic leaf beetle established in northeastern and northwestern North America. It was first reported in Ontario in 1947 but did not create problems until 1978 when destruction of European varieties of viburnums was observed. It has subsequently been found in a number of Canadian provinces and northeastern United States. It is herein newly reported from Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. In Nova Scotia, several localities are reported for the first time, while specimens collected in Annapolis Royal, in 1924, establish a new timeline for its occurrence on the continent. Two possible scenarios with respect to the origin and dispersal of P. viburni in the Maritimes are proposed and discussed. The systematic history of the genus is briefly recounted and the diagnostics of the genus and species are given. The occurrence of P. viburni on native and exotic species in the plant genus Viburnum is examined. and concerns are expressed with respect to its impact on native and cultivated varieties.