Androthrips Karny

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 : 22

Androthrips Karny

( Fig. 5 )

Androthrips Karny, 1911b: 560 . Type species: Mesothrips melastomae Zimmermann , by monotypy

There are 12 species in this typically oriental genus. Three of these species are recorded from China, of which one is known also from Indonesia and is introduced to North America ( Hoddle et al. 2012) living in the leaf galls of Gynaikothrips on Ficus species , presumably as a predator of the galling thrips. The original description of A. crus Chen from Taiwan indicated that the mid- and hind tibiae are brown with base and apex yellow. However, the typespecimens have been studied on loan, and these have all the tibiae yellow in contrast to the brown femora. Moreover, the description of A. guiyangensis Sha et al. from China, does not distinguish this species from crus . A series of both sexes from northern Australia, identified as monsterae (Moulton) from Papua New Guinea, has also been studied and these cannot be distinguished from crus . At present it seems likely that these three names, together with two others described from India and the Philippines ( Mound & Minaei 2007), represent a single widespread species that lives as a predator in leaf galls induced by several thrips species.

Diagnosis: Head longer than wide ( Fig. 5 ); eyes normal, postocular setae well-developed; stylets retracted to postocular setae, about half the head width apart medially; antennae 8-segmented, sensoria on III and IV variable; pronotum usually with 4 pairs of capitate setae, sometimes am reduced; notopleural sutures complete; basantra present; mesopresternum transverse; sternopleural sutures absent; fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes, fore tibiae usually with an apical flat scale on inner margin, fore femur enlarged with a basal tooth or hump on inner margin ( Fig. 5 ); fore wings constricted medially, with duplicated cilia; pelta triangular or trapeziodal; tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae; tube with straight sides, shorter than head, anal setae a little longer than tube.

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Phlaeothripinae genera. (1) Ablemothrips maxillatus, antenna, head, pronotum & fore leg; (2) Acanthothrips nodicornis, head & fore leg; (3) Agynaikothrips sp., head; (4) Adraneothrips coloratus, head & pronotum; (5) Androthrips ramachandrai, head, pronotum & for legs. Akarethrips iotus 6–10: (6) Head, pronotum & fore legs; (7) Forewing; (8) Basantra & mesopresternum; (9) Metanotum & Pelta; (10) Tergites VIII–IX.