Compsothrips Reuter, 1901

Dang, Lihong, Guo, Fuzhen, An, Yiyan & Mound, Laurence A., 2023, Ant-mimicking thrips of the genus Compsothrips Reuter from China (Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 5353 (2), pp. 187-195 : 188-189

Compsothrips Reuter

Compsothrips Reuter, 1901: 214 . Type species: Phloeothrips albosignata Reuter , by monotypy.

Of the 27 species listed in this genus (ThripsWiki 2023), only seven are known from Asia. Of these seven, four are dealt with below in this paper: reticulates , sinensis , tenebronus and timur . Of the remaining three, C. ramamurthii ( Ananthakrishnan 1964) from India, is distinguished from all other Asian species in having the body and legs predominantly yellow in colour. C. sumatranus Priesner (1928) was based on a single female from Sumatra, and this is discussed further below under C. timur . The last one, C. albosignatus was recorded from Iran ( Hakimara et al. 2019), which seems widespread in the Mediterranean area (ThripsWiki 2023).

All species of Compsothrips are ant mimics with the legs and slender thorax giving the impression of a slender waist, this being emphasized in several species by the contrasting pale colour of the metanotum and first abdominal tergite. The head varies between two extremes amongst species, with some North American species having the head broadly rounded posterior to the compound eyes, but other species, as in the three considered here from China, having the head more elongate and broadest across or just behind the eyes. The body colour is usually dark brown, but one or more of the basal antennal segments may be pale, the metanotum and pelta are often pale, there is a pair of pale spots laterally on the abdomen, and the tenth abdominal segment is bicoloured in one species considered here.

Generic diagnosis. Apterous ant mimics. Head elongate or rounded, usually contracted at base, projecting in front of eyes, or scarcely projecting; eyes strongly prolonged ventrally; interocellar and postocellar setae usually well developed ( Figs 1 , 27 ); postocular setae usually small and acute, or developed and blunt to expanded; one pair of postocular cheek setae usually developed ( Fig. 27 ), sometimes reduced ( Fig. 1 ); stylets V-shaped; antennae 8-segmented, sense cones on and IV small, III with 1 or 2, IV with 2; segment VI usually protruding on outer apex ( Figs 6 , 15, 16 ); pronotal major setae short, blunt or expanded, notopleural sutures complete ( Fig. 1 ); basantra present; mesopresternum broad ( Fig. 3 ); metathoracic sternopleural sutures usually complete and long ( Fig. 5 ); fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes ( Figs 1, 2 , 27, 28 ); pelta white and broad, rounded triangular ( Fig. 4 ); abdominal tergites usually without sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite II with white spots anterolaterally, V usually with white spots laterally ( Figs 9–11, 17 ); tube surface smooth, without prominent setae ( Figs 7, 8 , 14 ); anal setae shorter or a little longer than tube.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Compsothrips reticulates. (1) head, pronotum and foreleg, male; (2) foreleg, female; (3) mesopresternum; (4) pelta; (5) metathoracic sternopleural sutures (pointed by black arrow); (6) antennae; (7) tergites IX–X, female; (8) tergites IX–X, male.

FIGURES 25–30. C. timur. (25) antennae, Tashkent specimen; (26) antennae, Tibet specimen; (27) head and foreleg, female from Tibet; (28) head, pronotum and foreleg, male from Tibet; (29) mesonotum, metanotum, pelta and tergite II, Tashkent specimen; (30) mesonotum, metanotum, pelta and tergite II, Tibet specimen.

FIGURES 9–17. Compsothrips reticulates. (9) male; (10) female; (11) lateral dorsal view of abdominal segments II–V, showing white spots on II and V (pointed by black arrows); (12) head, pronotum and forelegs, male; (13) metanotum and pelta; (14) tergites IX–X, female; (15) antennae; (16) antennal segments V–VIII, showing protruding on V–VI; (17) specimens before maceration.