Ethirothrips brevis (Bagnall)

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 : 19-21

Ethirothrips brevis (Bagnall)

( Figs 32–35 , 216 )

Adiaphorothrips brevis Bagnall, 1921a: 276–277 .

E. brevis was originally described under the genus Adiaphorothrips (a junior synonym of Machatothrips ) from Seychelles by Bagnall and then four synonymous species were described, of which Dichaetothrips claripennis Moulton was described from Hawaii, Gastrothrips trinidadensis Hood from Trinidad, and both Nesothrips indicus Ananthakrishnan and Nesothrips diversus Ananthakrishnan from India. It is recorded at the present from South Africa, Mozambique, Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica and Japan, in addition to above areas, and it has a fairly wide range of distribution. However, it may previously be unknown from Southeast Asia. Chen (1982) recorded Scotothrips claripennis (= E. brevis ) from Taiwan based on seven females and three males, and the records of E. brevis from Taiwan in both Mirab-Balou et al. (2011) and Dang et al. (2013) were probably based on this. Subsequently, Wang et al. (2019) pointed out that S. claripennis recorded by Chen was misidentification of E. virgulae . However, Chen clearly described the presence of a pair of discal pores (= CPS) on the metanotum with a line drawing, which is one of the important features of S. claripennis , not of E. virgulae . Considering this, it could well be inferred that at least the specimens examined by Chen contained true S. claripennis . Moreover, one female of brevis observed from Taiwan is listed below in this study. In this article, therefore, brevis is recorded for the first time at least from Thailand and Indonesia. Wang et al. (2019) also mentioned incorrectly that brevis has the head longer than that of virgulae . However, brevis has the head 1.19–1.23 times as long as broad ( Fig. 32 ), whereas virgulae has the head slightly longer, 1.32–1.44 times as long as broad ( Fig. 182 ) ( Okajima 2006). This discrepancy is probably due to the virgulae specimens compared with brevis by Wang et al. were strongly crushed by the coverslips. Full description of this species was given by Okajima (2006) based on the specimens from the Ryukyus, southern Japan.

This species resembles E. nigrescens from Ogasawara (= Bonin) Islands, Japan, in having a pair of CPS on the metanotum. However, nigrescens can easily be distinguished by the larger body, dark antennal segments III and IV, and the dark fore tibiae.

Specimens-examined. Thailand, Phuket Is., 1 female, on dead leaves, 20.viii.1976, SO . Indonesia, Lombok Is., Dasanbaru, 2 females, on dead branches, 5.iii.2005, SO . Taiwan, Chiai-hsien, Kuantzulin, 1 female, on dead leaves and branches, 1.iv.1993, TN & SO . Japan, 28 females and 4 males, see Okajima (2006) .

Figures

FIGURES 32–35. Ethirothrips brevis, female. (32) Head & prothorax; (33) antenna; (34) metanotum & pelta; (35) tube.

FIGURES 211–222. Macrothripina genera and species. Aesthesiothrips species, female 211–213: (211) A. breviconus sp. n.; (212) A. elongatus sp. n.; (213) A. jatrophae. Celidothrips species, female 214–215: (214) C. adiaphorus; (215) C. floresi sp. n. Ethirothrips species 216–222: (216) E. brevis, female; (217) E. colossus sp. n., male; (218) E. conopygus sp. n., male; (219) E. conopygus sp. n., female; (220) E. dalatae sp. n., female; (221) E. duricaudus sp. n., female; (222) E. kasetsarti sp. n., female.

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.