Plectrothrips Hood

Dang, Li-Hong, Mound, Laurence A. & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2014, Conspectus of the Phlaeothripinae genera from China and Southeast Asia (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 3807 (1), pp. 1-82 : 65

Plectrothrips Hood

( Figs 74, 75 )

Plectrothrips Hood, 1908: 370 . Type species: Plectrothrips antennatus Hood , by monotypy.

There are 32 species listed in this genus, of which four are recorded from China, Three of these are from Taiwan, and crassiceps (Priesner) that was described from Indonesia is here newly recorded from mainland China, at Beijing. Three further species are recorded from Indonesia, and another three from Singapore ( Okajima 1981). These thrips are usually found living on dead branches, where they presumably feed on fungal hyphae.

Diagnosis: Head usually a little longer than wide ( Fig. 74 ); postocular setae usually developed, wide apart; stylets variable, usually retracted into head; antennae 8-segmented, II with campaniform sensilla in basal half of segment, VIII long, III with 2 or 3 sensoria, IV with 3; pronotum clearly smaller than prothorax, without major setae, notopleural sutures complete; basantra absent; mesopresternum reduced; sternopleural sutures present or absent; fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; fore wings, if developed, parallel-sided, with duplicated cilia; pelta broad with slender lateral lobes ( Fig. 75 ); tergite II eroded laterally; tergites II–VII each with one pair of wingretaining setae; tube and anal setae variable; male sternite VIII without pore plate.

Figures

FIGURES 71–75. Phlaeothripinae genera. Heads 71–73: (71) Litotetothrips sp.; (72) Macrophthalmothrips flavafemora; (73) Psalidothrips sp. Plectrothrips australis 74–75: (74) Head & pronotum; (75) Metanotum & tergites I–III.