Lefroyothrips lefroyi (Bagnall)

Mound, L. A. & Ng, Y. F., 2021, Studies on the genus Lefroyothrips, with new records from Malaysia, New Caledonia and a new species from Australia (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), Zootaxa 4927 (4), pp. 567-575 : 569-571

Lefroyothrips lefroyi (Bagnall)

( Figs 3, 7–8 , 14 , 17, 22 , 27 )

Physothrips lefroyi Bagnall, 1913: 292 .

Described as the “Tea-flower thrips” from Darjeeling in northern India, this species has been found in the flowers of various plant species, but particularly the flowers of Camellia sinensis . It is widely distributed across the Asian tropics, and is known from northern India, Malaysia, Java, Philippines, southern China and Taiwan ( Rachana & Manjunath 2020).

Female macroptera. Body variable in colour from largely yellow ( Fig. 7 ) to posterior tergites with pale brown markings; all tibiae and tarsi yellow; antennal segments I, III and V pale, II, IV and VI–VIII shaded or brown; fore wings pale, with 3 weak transverse shadings at veinal fork, medially and subapically. Head with ocellar area smooth, vertex with transverse striations ( Fig. 8 ); ocellar setae III scarcely 15 microns long, on margins of ocellar triangle; postocular setae arranged irregularly, pair S2 posterior to S1. Antennal segments III–V slender ( Fig. 3 ). Pronotum with irregular transverse striations ( Fig. 8 ). Metascutum with strong equiangular reticulate sculpture ( Fig. 14 ); median setae at anterior margin, CPS on posterior third. Abdominal tergites II–VII faintly reticulate anteromedially but without sculpture posteromedially. Sternite VII posteromarginal setae S2 arising close to but in front of posterior margin.

Male macroptera. Body colour and structure similar to female; sternites III–VII with oval-shaped pore plates ( Fig. 27 ), located near anterior margin.

Specimens studied. Malaysia, Cameron Highlands MARDI Research Station , Pahang, 1 female, 1 male on Nashi pear flowers, 18.xii.2013 (Alfera & Nurul) (in CISUKM) . Hong Kong, 1 female from tea, 3.i.1966 ; China, Yunnan, 4 females, 1 male from Camellia sinensis fls, ix.2019 ( LAM) (in ANIC) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Lefroyothrips species. Antennal segments, 1–6: (1) fasciatus holotype; (2) fasciatus male; (3) lefroyi; (4) pictus paratype; (5) tribulationi; (6) varatharajani. 7–8 lefroyi: (7) female; (8) head & pronotum. L. tribulationi, 9–10: (9) head; (10) pronotum.

FIGURES 11–16. Lefroyothrips species—metascutum. (11) fasciatus holotype; (12) fasciatus paratype male; (13) fasciatus male; (14) lefroyi; (15) tribulationi; (16) varatharajani.

FIGURES 17–23. Lefroyothrips species. Female tergites VII–X, 17–19: (17) lefroyi; (18) pictus; (19) tribulationi. male tergite IX, 20–21: (20) pictus; (21) fasciatus. (22) lefroyi female sternites VI–VII. (23) fasciatus fore wing.

FIGURES 24–27. Lefroyothrips species. L. varatharajani 24–26: (24) head; (25) male tergites VIII–IX; (26) male sternites. (27) L. lefroyi male sternites.