Thrips hemkundensis sp. nov.

(Figs 207–214)

Female macroptera. Body uniformly dark brown (Fig. 207); antennal segments I–VIII dark brown (Fig. 209); forewing uniformly brown (Fig. 214); fore tibiae slightly pale towards apex, all tarsi yellowish brown. Head broader than long, ocellar triangle without any sculpture; ocellar setae III at the tangent of ocellar triangle; six pairs of well-developed postocular setae, pair I clearly longer than others, II placed well behind I and III (Fig. 208). Antennae 8-segmented, segment III and IV each with forked sense cone (Fig. 209). Pronotal surface with transverse striations, with 18–22 discal setae; posteroangular setae 2 pairs; posteromarginal setae 3 pairs. Mesonotum with transverse striations; anteromedian campaniform sensilla present; median pair of setae ahead of the posterior margin. Metanotum with irregular longitudinal reticulation medially surrounded by transverse striations, few transverse lines anteriorly; median pair of setae far behind the anterior margin; the distance between the median pair less than the median and submedian setae; campaniform sensilla present (Fig. 210). Forewing first vein with 7 basal and 3 distal setae; second vein with 12 setae; clavus with 5 veinal and 1 discal seta (Fig. 214). Abdominal tergite II with 3 lateral marginal setae (Fig. 212); VIII with variable posteromarginal comb, microtrichia often irregular or absent medially (Fig. 213); IX with 2 pairs of campaniform sensilla. Abdominal sternites III–VII each with discal setae, III–VI arranged in an irregular transverse row, VII in one row (Fig. 211); sternite VII with S1 setae far away from the posterior margin (Fig. 211). Pleurotergites without ciliate microtrichia and discal setae.

Measurements. (Holotype female in microns). Body length 1825. Head length (width across cheeks) 135 (1698); compound eye dorsal length (width) 61 (42); pronotum median length (width) 137 (224). Forewing length 842. Antenna segments I–VIII length (width): 24 (31), 42 (25), 57 (21), 56 (22), 44 (21), 60 (23), 7 (9) and 11 (6).

Male unknown.

Material studied. Holotype female, INDIA, Uttarakhand, Hemkund (31.39 N, 77.11E, 1761 m), on Saxifraga diversifolia, 17.viii.1984, B.K. Negi & A.K. Srivastava, in NZC, ZSI (Reg. No. 26227/H17) . Paratypes: 2 females with same data as holotype (Reg. No. 26228/H17 to 26229/H17) .

Etymology: The species is named after the type locality.

Comments: Thrips hemkundensis sp. nov. is similar to Thrips pini Uzel but it can be differentiated by smooth ocellar triangle (weakly sculptured in T. pini); cheeks not rounded (rounded in T. pini); head without tubercles in front of eyes (head usually with small tubercles arranged longitudinally in front of eyes in T. pini); postocular setae biserial, poII and poIV well developed (postocular setae uniserial, po II and po IV minute in T. pini); pronotum with 18–22 discal setae (24–35 in T. pini); antennae brown (antennal segment I to II pale brown, III brown often with basal third yellowish, IV brown or dark brown with extreme base slightly pale, V dark brown with extreme base slightly pale in T. pini); metanotum with longitudinal reticulations in middle (with irregular reticulations or transverse anastomosing striae at middle in in T. pini); abdominal tergite II with 3 lateral marginal setae (4 lateral marginal setae in T. pini).