Thaithrips, Okajima & Masumoto, 2025

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2025, Some Poaceae-inhabiting Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) in East Asia, with descriptions of six new genera and 18 new species, Zootaxa 5726 (1), pp. 1-68 : 58

Thaithrips gen. nov.

Small-sized phlaeothripine species, with several large colored ommatidia ( Fig. 224 ), possibly belonging to the Haplothripini . Head much longer than wide, with a pair of short postocular setae. Eyes moderately developed, with ommatidia rather small and slightly separated from each other, scattered with some colored ommatidia, which are large and distinctly swollen, on ventro-lateral and ventral surfaces. Ocelli well-developed; posterior ocelli in contact with eyes, far apart from each other; interocellar and postocellar setae minute. Antenna eight-segmented ( Fig. 229 ); segment III with (0+1), segment IV with (1+1) sense cones at least in type-species. Mouth cone short and rounded; maxillary stylets wider apart, sub-parallel, almost reaching middle of head capsule; maxillary bridge distinct. Pronotum moderately developed; three pairs of prothoracic setae developed but rather short, am and ml reduced. Prothoracic notopleural suture complete. Prosternal basantra and ferna well developed ( Fig. 226 ). Mesopresternum transverse. Metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Metanotum sculptured with polygonal reticulation, with a pair of short median setae. Fore legs short; fore tarsus with a tooth. Fore wings ( Fig. 228 ) almost parallel-sided, at least not strongly constricted medially, without duplicated cilia. Abdominal tergite II–VII each with two pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae, posterior pairs on tergite III–VI well developed. Tube shorter than head, tapering and straight-sided. Terminal setae longer than tube.

Type-species. Thaithrips unicolor sp. nov.

Comments. Although this new genus has the fore wings not distinctly constricted medially, it presumably belongs to the tribe Haplothripini . However, the generic relationships of Thaithrips among the Haplothripini is not clear, as the structure of the compound eyes which have several large colored ommatidia on the ventral and ventro-lateral surface, may be unusual in the tribe. Similar ommatidia are found commonly in the family Thripidae and subfamily Idolothripinae of the family Phlaeothripidae , but their function is uncertain. This genus may be related to Vietothrips gen. nov. described below, and the distinction between them is discussed under Vietothrips .

The genus name is derived from the type locality ‘Thai’ or ‘Thailand’. Gender: masculine.

Figures

FIGURES 222–230. Thaithrips unicolor gen. et sp. nov., female. (222) whole body; (223) head and prothorax; (224) compound eyes, ventral surface; (225) metanotum; (226) prosternum and mesopresternum; (227) pelta; (228) fore wing; (229) antennal segments III–VIII; (230) fore tarsus.