Thrips orientalis (Bagnall)

Mound, Laurence A. & Masumoto, Masami, 2005, The genus Thrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, Zootaxa 1020 (1), pp. 1-64 : 39-41

Thrips orientalis (Bagnall)

Isoneurothrips orientalis Bagnall, 1915: 593

Diagnosis: Body and legs brown to dark brown, tarsi and apices of fore tibiae yellow; antennal segment III mainly yellow, IV light brown with yellow base; forewings brown with base scarcely paler. Antennae 7­segmented; ocellar setae III arise on (or just outside) margins of ocellar triangle, ocellar region sometimes with faint reticulate markings; postocular region strongly sculptured, postocular setae II minute. Pronotum with strong transverse markings, 20–30 discal setae with one midlateral pair stout. Mesonotal campaniform sensilla present or absent. Metanotum reticulate ( Fig. 68 ), reticles with internal markings, median setae behind anterior margin, campaniform sensilla absent. Forewing first vein with setal row variable, 7–10 irregularly placed setae on distal half; clavus with subterminal seta longer than terminal seta ( Fig. 69 ). Abdominal tergite II with 3 (or 4) lateral margin setae; tergite VIII with comb absent medially and short laterally; sternites III–VI sometimes with no discal setae but usually with 1–6 setae laterally. Male brown, sternites III–VII with transverse glandular area but no discal setae.

Breeding: Apparently polyphagous, and probably associated with various strongly scented flowers such as those of Gardenia , this species has been collected on one occasion in northern Australia from the flowers of Glossocarya hemiderma (Verbenaceae) .

Distribution: This tropical species is widespread between India, Indonesia, southern Japan, New Caledonia and Hawaii, and is also recorded from Trinidad and Florida ( Nakahara, 1994). A few specimens of both sexes have been studied from near Cape York in northern Australia, also one male from near Brisbane.

Relationships: Twelve related species from South East Asia have been referred to as the Thrips orientalis group ( Mound 2005). These have the metanotum reticulate, usually with markings internal to the reticles, the median pair of metanotal setae arising far from the anterior margin, the metanotal campaniform sensilla absent, and sternite VII without discal setae despite the more anterior sternites usually having discal setae.

Figures

FIGURES 60–71. Thrips species. T. nigropilosus 60–61: (60) Meso­metanota; (61) Tergites III–IV. T. novocaledonensis 62–63: (62) Meso­metanota; (63) Tergites & pleurotergites IV–V. T. obscuratus 64–67: (64) Head & pronotum; (65) Meso­metanota; (66) Tergites & pleurotergites III–IV; (67) Tergites VII–VIII. T.orientalis 68–69: (68) Meso­metanota; (69) Forewing clavus. T. pallisetis 70–71: (70) Meso­metanota; (71) Tergites VII–X.