Ethirothrips virgulae (Chen)

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2023, Six genera of the subtribe Macrothripina from Southeast Asia to Taiwan (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 5291 (1), pp. 1-74 : 61-63

Ethirothrips virgulae (Chen)

( Figs 182–185 , 243 )

Scotothrips virgulae Chen, 1980: 180–181 .

E. virgulae was originally described from Taiwan based on extremely crushed specimens in the water-soluble mountant. Mound and Palmer (1983) compared a paratype of virgulae with specimens from the Ryukyus, Japan, and confirmed them as the same species. Subsequently, a full description of it was given by Okajima (2006) based on the specimens from Japan, and the diagnostic description was also given by Wang et al. (2019). The colour of antennal segment III and the length of tube of this species are variable: antennal segment III mostly brown, scarcely paler than segment IV, with extreme base yellowish, often brownish yellow, distinctly paler than segment IV; tube shorter or scarcely longer than head in female, 0.81–0.92 times as long as head in male. The tube is almost straight-sided with distal 1/4 weakly constricted ( Fig. 184 ), while Wang et al. described tube as ‘curved-sided’ and this is probably due to observing crushed specimens. E. virgulae can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of character states: head 1.32–1.44 times as long as broad ( Fig. 182 ); postocular setae situated behind inner margins of eyes; postocellar setae minute; antennal segment III about 3.0 times as long as broad ( Fig. 183 ), or a little longer; pelta trilobed ( Fig. 185 ), with distinct lateral wings; tube straight-sided, with apical 1/4 weakly constricted.

Specimens-examined. Taiwan, Nantou Hsien, Nanshanchi , on dead leaves, 1 female, 1.vi.1972, 1 female, 29.iii.1984, SO; Rushan, on dead leaves and branches, 2.v.1983, M. Hasegawa, 2 females, on dead leaves and branches, 1.ix.1994, TN & SO . Japan, many females and males, see Okajima (2006).

Figures

FIGURES 182–189. Ethirothrips species.E. virgulae, female 182–185: (182) Head; (183) antenna; (184) tube; (185) metanotum & pelta. E. yangi, paratype male 186–189 (these images are provided by Dr. C. L. Wang): (186) Head; (187) antennae; (188) pelta; (189) abdomen.

FIGURES 235–246. Macrothripina genera and species. Ethirothrips species 235–243: (235) E. stenomelas, male; (236) E. (?) stenomelas, female from Mindanao; (237) E. tenuis sp. n., female; (238) E. terminalis sp. n., female; (239) E. thai sp. n., female; (240) E. tibialis, female; (241) E. tibialis, micropterous male; (242) E. tibialis, macropterous male; (243) E. virgulae, female. (244) Fernothrips femoralis gen. et sp. n., female. (245) Ischyrothrips crassus, female. (246) Polytrichothrips malayanus sp. n., female.