Caliothrips insularis (Hood)

(Figs 1, 4, 7, 32)

Hercothrips insularis Hood, 1928: 234 .

This species was described originally from the Caribbean islands of St Croix and Cuba but has subsequently been recorded as widespread between Venezuela and Florida, as well as from Mauritius in the Indian Ocean (Nakahara 1991). The available records indicate that it has been taken from several species of Poaceae, as well as Cyperus and Lilium, and in recent years large populations have been found on grass in Guangzhou. From most species in the genus, it is distinguished by the color pattern on the fore wing (Fig. 7), with dark areas at sub-base and at apex with the median area pale brown and even paler at base and sub-apex. The identification here is based on the key by Nakahara (1991) also one female from Panama (in ANIC, Canberra). The species has probably been introduced to China through the horticultural trade in live plants.

Specimens studied. CHINA, Guangdong, South China Agriculture University (SCAU) (23°09′N, 113°21′E), 39 females from turf grass, 12.xi.2016 (Zhaohong Wang). PANAMA, Panama City, from lawn grass, 21.vi.1983 (LAM) .