Hercinothrips femoralis (Reuter)

Wang, Zhaohong, Mound, Laurence, Mao, Runqian & Tong, Xiaoli, 2022, Two new synonyms among Panchaetothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with three species newly recorded from China, Zootaxa 5190 (2), pp. 275-285 : 279

Hercinothrips femoralis (Reuter)

( Figs 11–22 , 38–39 )

Heliothrips femoralis Reuter, 1891: 166 .

This species is widespread around the world in tropical and subtropical areas ( Roditakis et al. 2006). Feeding by larvae and adults can cause leaf damage to many kinds of plants, including calla lily ( Zantedeschia aethiopica ), chrysanthemums, figs ( Ficus spp. ), banana, cotton, cowpea, cucumber, groundnut, maize, sugar beet, sugar cane and tomato ( Moritz et al. 2013). A large population has been found in China in greenhouse damaging the leaves of cabbage ( Fig. 20 ) and sweet potato.

In addition to the generic character states indicated above, this species can be identified by: body brown to dark brown, head with yellow longitudinal areas between eyes and ocelli; fore wing mainly brown but pale at apex, subbasally, and submedian areas, posteromarginal cilia wavy ( Fig. 16 ); antennae 8-segmented, segments III & IV each with a small forked sense cone ( Fig. 13 ); head, pronotum, meso-metanotum reticulate with internal wrinkles ( Fig. 11 ); metanotum median setae arise medially with one pair of campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 12 ); abdominal tergites weakly reticulate medially, median pair of setae small, posterior margins with complete craspedum; tergite VIII with comb of a few microtrichia laterally but none medially; tergite X with longitudinal split almost complete. Male with sternal marginal setae minute, sternites III–VII with slender transverse pore plate ( Fig. 14 ), tergite IX with 3 pairs of thorn-like setae and a few wartlike tubercles ( Fig. 15 ).

The eggs were inserted into the leaves, slightly protruding from the surrounding leaf surface, and a pair of eyespots could be seen before hatching ( Figs 17, 18 ). The first and second instar larvae are yellow, and always bear a drop of dark excretion on the abdomen apex ( Fig. 19 ), and this is left as black spots on the leaf surface. The second instar larvae have 7-segmented antennae ( Fig. 21 ), with the major body setae short and pointed ( Fig. 22 ).

Material studied. CHINA, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences (23°10′N, 113°30′E), 25 females, 6 males from sweet potato, 12.iv.2022 (Zhaohong Wang) ; same location 6 females, 4 males from cabbage, 30.vi.2022 .

Figures

FIGURES 11–16. Hercinothrips femoralis. 11–13, female: (11) head and pronotum; (12) meso–metanotum; (13) antenna. 14–16, males: (14) sternites III–VII; (15) tergite IX; (16) fore wing.

FIGURES 17–22. Hercinothrips femoralis: (17) eggs inside cabbage leaves; (18) eggs dig out from cabbage leaves; (19) second instar larvae with excrement on the back; (20) adults feeding on cabbage leaves. 21–22, second instar larvae: (21) head and thorax; (22) abdominal tergites IV–X.

FIGURES 32–43. Panchaetothripine species from China. (32) C. insularis female; (33) C. quadrifasciatus female; (34) C. quadrifasciatus male; (35) C. tongi female; (36) Helionothrips aino female; (37) Helionothrips aino male; (38) Hercinothrips femoralis female; (39) Hercinothrips femoralis male; (40) Panchaetothrips timonii female; (41) Panchaetothrips timonii male; (42) Phibalothrips rugosus female; (43) Phibalothrips rugosus male.