Euphysothrips Bagnall, 1926

Mound, Laurence A., 2018, Euphysothrips: an Old World genus of Thripidae (Thysanoptera) associated with rust fungi (Pucciniales), Zootaxa 4532 (3), pp. 447-450 : 447-449

Euphysothrips Bagnall

Euphysothrips Bagnall, 1926: 646 . Type species: Euphysothrips minozzii Bagnall.

Diagnosis: Thripinae with antennae 7- or 8-segmented, segment I without paired dorso-apical setae, III and IV each with a long, forked sense cone and apex constricted, III–VI with microtrichial rows on both surfaces. Head with 3 pairs of ocellar setae, pair III just within ocellar triangle posterior to fore ocellus; postocular setae pair I close behind ocelli, pairs II and IV long and stout, arranged in a transverse row; mouth cone slender, extending across prosternum, maxillary palps long and 3-segmented. Pronotum with prominent sculpture lines; anterior margin with row of 4–7 pairs of setae, posterior margin with 8 pairs of setae of which one posteroangular seta is longer on each side. Mesonotum with strong sculpture lines, anterior paired campaniform sensilla present, median setae far in front of posterior margin. Metanotum strongly sculptured, campaniform sensilla present or absent, median pair of setae far from anterior margin. Mesosternal furca with spinula, metasternal furca without spinula. Fore wing first vein with 3 widely spaced setae on distal half, second vein with 4 widely spaced setae; clavus with 5 veinal and one discal setae. Tergites I and II transversely sculptured, median setal pair small and anterior to campaniform sensilla, III–VII medially with few or no sculpture lines; II–VII posterior margin with broad craspedum; VIII with long microtrichial comb arising from a narrow craspedum; IX with prominent mid-dorsal setae, anterior campaniform sensilla present or absent; X with longitudinal split. Sternites without discal setae; II with 2 pairs of marginal setae, III–VII with 3 pairs; posterior marginal craspedum present or absent; pleurotergites with posteromarginal fringe of long microtrichia. Male with small pore plate on each of sternites III–VII; tergite IX with long slender setae.

Comments. Amongst the Thripinae this genus is distinguished by the transverse row of prominent postocular setae with postocular setal pair I placed close behind the ocelli ( Fig. 1), and the large number of small setae on the anterior and posterior margins of the pronotum ( Fig. 3). The comb of long microtrichia on tergite VIII is unusual in both species in that these microtrichia arise from a distinct craspedum ( Fig. 5). The key to species below indicates some interesting differences between the two species, particularly the presence/absence of campaniform sensilla, sternal craspeda, and a pair of minute setae on the second abdominal sternite. The genus differs from Craspedothrips in lacking paired dorsoapical setae on the first antennal segment, and also in the few setae on the first and second fore wing veins.