Ophthalmothrips lesnei (Priesner)

Minoura, Kazushige & Mound, Laurence A., 2019, The world species of Ophthalmothrips Hood (Thysanoptera; Phlaeothripidae), with new records from Africa, China and Japan, Zootaxa 4623 (3), pp. 555-562 : 559-560

Ophthalmothrips lesnei (Priesner)

( Figs 13, 19, 20 )

Fulgorothrips lesnei Priesner, 1952: 878 .

This species has been based on a single female from Mozambique but is here newly recorded from Kenya on the male and female specimens listed below. These can be identified as lesnei by the following characters: fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes ( Figs 19, 20 ); preocular projection less than 80µm long, less than 130µm wide ( Fig. 13 ); fore wings developed; tergal wing-retaining setae sigmoid; tergite IX setae S1 subequal in length to tube.

Macropterous male. Body length: 3.4mm. Very similar in colour and structure to female. Fore tarsal tooth ( Fig. 20 ) significantly larger than in females. Tibia ( Fig. 20 ) with distinct tooth near inner angle.

Measurements (male in microns). Distended body length 3340. Head, length 439, length from anterior margin of eyes 373; width across eyes 210, width across cheeks 192; preocular projection length 72, width115; interocellar setae 61, postocular setae 61–79. Pronotum, median length 205; width 311; setae aa 6–11, am 12, ml 33, pa 45–46, epim 54–67. Metanotum median setae 25–28. Fore wing length 1226. Pelta median length 118, width 260. Tergite IX posteromarginal setae S1 288, S2 327. Tube, length 297; basal width 85; apical width 48; anal setae 303. Antennal segments I–VIII length (width): 55(38); 71(35); 139(33); 114(33); 95(30); 70(30); 55(26); 59(18).

Specimens examined. KENYA, Naro Maru River Lodge 6,500, 1 male, 1 female in grass tussocks, 12-vii-74, B.R.Pitkin (in BMNH) .

Figures

FIGURES 13–23. Ophthalmothrips species. Head, 13–16: (13) lesnei female from Kenya; (14) longiceps male; (15) miscan- thicola female; (16) pomeroyi male from Zaire. (17) longiceps female pelta. (18) pomeroyi male from Zaire, fore femur. Fore tibia and tarsus 19–23: (19) lesnei female from Kenya; (20) lesnei male from Kenya; (21) miscanthicola female; (22) miscant- hicola male; (23) pomeroyi male from Zaire.