Trichromothrips elegans Masumoto & Okajima

Li, Yajin, Li, Zhengyue & Zhang, Hongrui, 2019, Trichromothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from China, with descriptions of three new species and ten new records, Zootaxa 4544 (1), pp. 79-92 : 83

Trichromothrips elegans Masumoto & Okajima

( Figs 6, 7 , 36 , 42 )

Male macroptera. Body bicoloured ( Fig. 7 ); Head dark brown; antennal segments I and II dark brown, III–VI yellowish white with apex light brown, VII light brown, VIII yellowish white. Pronotum with dark brown lateral stripes, median large triangular area yellowish white; fore wing uniformly dark brown with a small pale spot near base; all legs yellowish white. Abdominal segments I–III pale, IV or V–VII brown medially, VIII brown, IX dark brown; tergum X pale brown; abdominal tergite IX ( Fig. 42 ) with a pair of posteromarginal drepanae; sternites III– VIII each with scattered small pore plates.

Specimens examined. China, Chongqing, Xiushan County, Fenghuangshan Forest Park, 5 females, 2 males from Oplismenus compositus , 7.viii.2017 (Yajin Li) . Sichuan, Chengdu Botanic Garden , 2 females, 5 males from fern, 2.x.2016 (Hongrui Zhang & Yajin Li); Dujiangyan City, Dujiangyan Irrigation System, 5 female, 3 males from Murraya exotica , 4.x.2016 (Hongrui Zhang & Yajin Li) . Guizhou, Daozhen County, Yangxi Town, 3 females from Machilus yunnanensis , 15.viii.2016 ( Xueqiang Yan ); Danzhai County , Maobilin Forest District , 3 females, 1 male from Hydrangea chinensis , 5.viii.2017 ( Yajin Li ); Tongren City , Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve , 2 females and 1 male from Rhododendron sp., 11.viii.2017 (YajinLi) .

Comments. Described from Japan, this species is reported here for the first time from China with the first description of the male. The females from China exhibit some variation with antennal segments III–VI yellowish white with apex brown. Otherwise, abdominal segment VIII bears two small setae in a transverse row in front of the posterior margin instead of in a straight line in front of the posteroangular setae.

Figures

FIGURES 1–12. Trichromothrips genus-group species. Trichromothrips species 1–11: (1) T. moundi female. (2) T. moundi male. (3) T. albus. female (4) T. guizhouensis sp.n. female (5) T. indicus female. (6) T. elegans female. (7) T. elegans male. (8) T. trifasciatus female. (9) T. crispator female. (10) T. antidesmae sp.n. female. (11) T. assamensis female. (12) Trachynotothrips striatus female.

FIGURES 31–39. Head and pronotum of Trichromothrips genus-group species. (31) Laplothrips bicolor. (32) Yoshinothrips pasekamui. (33) Octothrips bhatti. (34) Trachynotothrips striatus. (35) Trichromothrips falcus. (36) T. elegans. (37) T. crispator. (38) T. trifasciatus. (39) T. indicus.

FIGURES 40–50. Trichromothrips genus-group species. (40) T. albus head and pronotum. (41) T. indicus male abdominal sternites III–VII. (42) T. elegans male abdominal tergites VIII–X. (43) Laplothrips bicolor fore wing. (44) T. falcus fore wing. (45) T. trifasciatus fore wing. (46) T. indicus fore wing. (47) Trachynotothrips striatus antennae. (48) T. falcus antennae. (49) T. trifasciatus antennae. (50) O. bhattii abdominal tergite IV.