Neohydatothrips gracilipes (Hood)

Wang, Chin-Ling, 2007, Hydatothrips and Neohydatothrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) of East and South Asia with three new species from Taiwan, Zootaxa 1575 (1), pp. 47-68 : 59-61

Neohydatothrips gracilipes (Hood)

( Fig. 6 )

Sericothrips gracilipes Hood, 1924: 149

Female macropterous: Body generally yellow, pronotal blotch with brown markings; abdominal tergites II– VII with dark brown antecostal ridge, also brown areas laterally on these segments behind antecostal ridges; antennal segments grayish brown, segments III and basal halves of IV–V lighter; legs grayish yellow; forewings grayish yellow with a sub-basal pale band.

Head short, cheeks about same length as eyes; ocellar setae III situated behind front ocellus, inside ocellar triangle. Antennae 8-segmented, segment VII about half the length of VIII. Pronotal blotch weakly sclerotized without a clear margin, posteroangular pair of setae on blotch well developed, about same length as blotch. Mesonotum and metanotum with dense transverse or longitudinal striae. Anterior margin of metasternum straight. Forewing first vein setal row complete, second vein without distal setae. Abdominal tergites II–VII with posteromarginalcombs present laterally but not medially; tergites VII and VIII with long and complete posterior comb. Sternites I–VII with complete posteromarginal comb, without discal setae.

Male: unknown.

Specimens examined: TAIWAN, Taichung, Wufeng , 28 females on Gossypium indicum (wild cotton), 12-ix-2003, coll. C. C. Ho; Kingmen, 1 female on Sida acuta (narrow-leaved sida), 6-xii-2001, coll. C. C. Ho.

Remarks: This species is recorded from Mexico, Costa Rica, Trinidad, Jamaica, Australia, Thailand and India, and this is the first record for Taiwan. Most records are from Malvaceae , particularly species of Sida , but many specimens were taken in Taiwan from cotton, the plant from which this thrips was originally described. The irregular brownish markings on blotch and abdominal tergites as well as pleurites are characteristics of this species. Besides, the form of striae on the metanotum distinguishes it from other species.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Neohydatothrips gracilipes: A. forewing; B. head; C. pronotum; D. meso- and metanotum, E. abdominal tergites II & III; F. abdominal tergites VI–VIII; G. metasternite.