Caliothrips tongi Mound, Zhang & Bei

(Figs 1–7)

Caliothrips tongi Mound, Zhang & Bei, 2011: 57 –62.

Six species of Caliothrips are recorded from Asia: impurus (Priesner), indicus (Bagnall), luckmanni Wilson, pallidizonata Kudo, striatopterus (Kobus), and tongi . The record of a seventh species, fasciatus (Pergande), the North American bean thrips, was based on a single female from China that was probably mislabeled (Mound et al. 2011). C. tongi has been collected in Japan, in Honshu and Kyushi, since 1999, but remained unidentified until now. It was described from southern China from Ipomoea batatas [ Convolvulaceae], but in Japan has been taken many times breeding on the leaves of species of Lactuca [ Asteraceae].

Second instar larva. Body with vermilion red or pinkish red hypodermal pigment (Fig. 1). Abdominal segment X with six setae (Fig. 6). Antennae 7-segmented, each segment without microtrichia, segments II‒III with setae having expanded apices, VI slender and subequal in length to combined length of IV and V (Fig. 3). Major dorsal setae clavate, strongly expanded at apices, but almost acute or blunt on tergites IX‒X (Figs 4-5); head almost smooth dorsally, with two pairs of small brown markings mesad of compound eyes, D1 setae the longest (Fig. 2); pronotum with plaque marginally, almost smooth medially; meso- and metanota with transverse rows of longitudinal plaques but weak at submargin, with D1 and D2 setae developed, mesonotum with six pairs of major setae, probably D6 setae absent, metanotum with four pairs of major setae; abdominal tergites II‒VIII with three pairs of setae, intermediate tergites with about eight transverse rows of longitudinal plaques having no microtrichia, plaque rows smaller and fewer on posterior tergites (Figs 4‒5); tergite II without spiracle; tergite VIII with spiracles transverse and not produced, spiracles with three or four facets without internal dot; sternites with three pairs of setae having acute apices, with about five rows of longitudinal plaques having small microtrichia posteriorly, plaque rows fewer on posterior sternites (Fig. 7).

Specimens examined. JAPAN ( Honshu). Aichi-prefecture: Chita City, Midori-machi, 1 female by sweeping, 6.x.1999 (K. Minoura); Nagoya City, Minato-ku Shiomi-cho , 2 females, 1male on Lactuca sororia, 21.ix.2006 (H. Kurahashi); Tokoname City, Centrair, 9 females, 2 males on Lactuca indica, 25.ix.2010 (T. Masuzawa), 2 females on Ipomoea nil [ Convolvulaceae], 1.x.2010 (K. Minoura). Fukushima-prefecture: Kitakata City, 50 females, 22 males, 4 second instar larvae on leaf of Lactuca indica, 7.viii.2013 (M. Masumoto); Kitakata City, 1 male on leaf of L. sativa, 11.viii.2015 (M. Masumoto); Bandai-machi, 19 females, 3 second instar larvae on leaf of L. sativa, 12.viii.2015 (M. Masumoto). Ibaraki-prefecture, Daigo-machi, 7 females, 5 males, 2 second instar larvae on leaf of L. sativa, 29.viii.2015 (M. Masumoto). Wakayama-prefecture, Kinokawa City, Takebusa: 20 females, 2 second instar larvae on Lactuca indica, 6.xi.2013 (T. Inaba).