Lefroyothrips fasciatus (Moulton)

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

Lefroyothrips fasciatus (Moulton)

( Figs 1–2 , 11–12 , 21, 23 )

Taeniothrips (Lefroyothrips) fasciatus Moulton, 1940: 250 .

This species was described from two females and three males taken without host data at Koitaki, a locality in Papua New Guinea near Port Moresby. Subsequently, two females were reported from the Philippines ( Reyes 1994), one male was recorded from Australia in northern Queensland ( Mound & Tree 2020), and the species is here reported for the first time from Peninsular Malaysia. Most Thripidae have two pairs of setae on the metascutum, a strong and usually long median pair that may arise on the anterior margin or further back on this sclerite, and a second smaller pair laterally. In contrast, fasciatus has one, two or even three extra setae on the metascutum mesad of the major pair. However, these extra setae are not stable either in their presence or in their position ( Figs 11–13 ). In the sample from the tree canopy listed below, one female has 3 extra setae medially, 7 females and 3 males have two medially, one female and 3 males have a single seta medially, and one male has two extra setae medially but has one of the major setae not developed. Moreover, the three females from which the new species L. tribulationi is described also have these extra metascutal setae ( Fig. 15 ).

The specimens of L. fasciatus collected in Malaysia were taken from flowers in the canopy of a large rainforest tree, a species of Dipterocarpus , and the samples also included the Thripidae species Tenothrips keruing ( Ng et al. 2019) . This host association might suggest why L. fasciatus is rarely collected despite being reported so widely. Thrips that live high in the tree canopy, on flowers, or on leaves or on dead branches, are difficult to sample effectively (Mound 2020). However, Yamazaki et al. (2020) have demonstrated that the number of Thysanoptera individuals taken from tree canopies in Brazil can be greater than the number of any other group of insects apart from Diptera and Hymenoptera.

Female macroptera. Body pale, abdominal segments II and VII with dark marking, IX–X varying from darker yellow to brown; all tibiae and tarsi yellow; antennal segments I–II slightly shaded, III–IV pale, V–VI shaded, VII–VIII pale; fore wings with two shaded cross bands, at middle and at apex ( Fig. 23 ). With the structural character states in the generic diagnosis: Head with areas in front of first ocellus and ocellar area smooth, vertex with fine strong transverse striations; ocellar setae III long, arising within ocellar triangle in line with anterior margins of posterior ocelli; five pairs of short postocular setae in single row, the first pair arising just behind posterior ocelli. Pronotum with few sculpture lines and more than 20 small, scattered discal setae. Metascutum with longitudinally elongate reticulation; with 1 or 2 (rarely 3) setae medially between the major median setal pair ( Figs 11–13 ); campaniform sensilla wide apart and close to posterior margin. Fore wing first vein with 7 setae on basal half, 3 setae on distal half. Abdominal tergite I with transverse lines anteriorly; tergites II–VII smooth on median area mesad of setae pair II; tergite IX with two pairs of CPS. Sternite VII posteromarginal setae long, setae S2 arising at margin.

Male macroptera. Colour and structure of body similar to female; tergite IX with 3 pairs of stout setae ( Fig. 21 ); sternites III–VII without pore plates.

Specimens studied. Papua New Guinea, Koitaki , holotype female paratype male without host data, 15.ix.1928 ( CAS) . Malaysia, Pasoh Forest Reserve , Negeri Sembilan, 10 females, 7 males on Dipterocarpus sublamellatus flowers ( Dipterocarpaceae ) in tree canopy at a height of 30m, 8–10.iv.2019 (Ng, Y.F. & Ain, N.) (in CISUKM) ; UKM, Bangi , Selangor, 1 male on Plumeria rubra , 15.i.2009 (Ng, Y.F. & Eow, L.X.) (in CISUKM) . Australia, Queensland, Cape Tribulation , 1 male from Pouteria sapota fls, 8.vii.1995 ( 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.