Gigantothrips Zimmermann, 1900

Gigantothrips Zimmermann, 1900: 18. Type species Gigantothrips elegans Zimmermann, 1900, by monotypy.

Note.

There are now 22 species listed in this genus (ThripsWiki 2023), of which 10 are from Africa, one from Mexico, and five from India. The record from Mexico is likely to be due to mislabeling, as the three known specimens apparently represent an Asian species (Mound and Marullo 1996). The genus is thus considered to be entirely from the Old World tropics. Gigantothrips elegans Zimmermann is widespread from India to the Philippines, including southern China, on the leaves of Ficus . G. tibialis Bagnall was described from Sri Lanka but later recorded from Hainan, China (Zhang 1984), G. nigrodentatus (Karny) was described from Java and then recorded from India, whereas G. gallicola (Priesner) is known only from Java. Two species only from the Philippines, G. pontis (Reyes) and G. xynos (Reyes), were transferred to this genus from Gynaikothrips by Dang et al. (2014). Now there are eight species recognized from China and Southeast Asia including two new species found in Tibet and Yunnan, G. tibetanus sp. nov. and G. yunnanensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis.

Head much longer than wide, cheeks parallel-sided with a few stout setae (Figs 1-3, 7-10); eyes normal, postocular setae usually undeveloped; stylets retracted to one third of head, close together; antennae slender, 8-segmented, III with 1 sense cone, IV with 3, rarely 2 (Figs 15-17); pronotum with major setae often short, notopleural sutures incomplete (or complete) (Figs 1-3, 11-14); basantra absent; mesopresternum boat-shaped; sternopleural sutures absent; fore tarsal tooth usually present in both sexes; fore wings parallel-sided, with numerous duplicated cilia; pelta triangular (Figs 18, 21, 22); tergites II-VI with numerous sigmoid or straight wing-retaining setae (Figs 4, 23-25); tube long and slender with fine setae on the surface, usually longer than head, anal setae short (Figs 5, 6, 32, 33); male sternite VIII with or without pore plate (Figs 28-30).

Key to Gigantothrips species from China and Southeast Asia

1	All tibiae clearly yellow	2
-	At least mid and hind tibiae brown at base	3
2	Pronotal aa close together with midlateral setae, the distance between them shorter than their length (Fig. 1) (on Careya arborea)	Gigantothrips tibialis Bagnall
-	Pronotal aa far away from midlateral setae, the distance between them longer than their length (Fig. 3) (on Ficus pseudopalma)	G. pontis (Reyes)
3	Tube short, no more than five times as long as basal width; S1-S2 on tergite IX acute and slightly shorter than tube (Fig. 6) (on Euphobia hirta)	G. xynos (Reyes)
-	Tube elongate, more than eight times as long as basal width; S1-S2 on tergite IX blunt and much shorter than tube (Fig. 5)	4
4	Anterior margin of pronotum with about eight pairs of stout setae (Fig. 12) (on Ficus spp.)	G. elegans Zimmermann
-	Anterior margin of pronotum with four pairs of setae at most	5
5	Fore tibiae clear yellow	6
-	Fore tibiae largely brown or shaded with brown	7
6	Antennal segment IV with 3 sense cones; major setae stout and hyaline (Fig. 7); tergites II-V with at least six sigmoid wing-retaining setae (Fig. 23); pronotal pa minute, much smaller than aa (Fig. 11) (on Planchonia valida)	G. nigrodentatus Karny
-	Antennal segment IV with 2 sense cones (Fig. 17); major setae slender and yellow or brown; tergites II-V with two major sigmoid wing-retaining setae (Fig. 8); pronotal pa as long as aa (on leaves of Ficus tikoua)	G. yunnanensis Dang & Mound, sp. nov.
7	Tergites II-VI with 3-4 pairs of major sigmoid setae, and numerous small sigmoid setae laterally; cheek with about 8 pairs of short and acute, but spinous setae (Fig. 2); antennal segment III uniformly yellow, IV-VI yellow with lightly brown at apical, VII bicolored with basal half yellow, VIII brown (in leaf-galls of Sloanea sp.)	G. gallicola Priesner
-	Tergites II-VI with two pairs of major sigmoid setae, and numerous straight setae laterally (Fig. 24); cheek with about 8 pairs of short and acute, but slender setae (Fig. 10); antennal segments III-VI yellow with shaded at apical, VII-VIII uniformly brown (on leaves of Ficus sp.)	G. tibetanus Dang & Mound, sp. nov.