Ensiferothrips wallacei Mound & Tree, 2016

LI, SHENLEI, SONG, ZHENDONG, CHENG, FENGXIAN, MAO, RUNQIAN & WANG, ZHAOHONG, 2022, First description of males of Ensiferothrips wallacei Mound & Tree (Thripidae: Dendrothripinae) with variation in fore wing setae, Zootaxa 5174 (4), pp. 444-446 : 444-445

Ensiferothrips wallacei Mound & Tree

Ensiferothrips wallacei Mound & Tree, 2016: 578 . Zhang et al. 2018: 373 .

This species was originally known from four female specimens taken by insecticide fogging of an unidentified forest tree in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Here a series of both females and males is recorded from Hainan. In females, the number of fore wing vein setae is constant ( Figs 8–10 ), the first vein with eight setae (number 2, 4 and 6 dark), four on basal half and four evenly distributed in the apical half; second vein with four setae evenly distributed (number 2 and 4 dark). However , the number and colour of the fore wing costal setae is not constant. Generally, the basal two costal setae and also the apical seta are pale, medially there are three separated pale costal setae, but the number of dark costal setae between the pale setae varies. In males, similar variation also present, but the apical fore wing costal seta is generally dark.

Male macroptera: Body light brown and paler than the females, tergites VII and IX–X pale, VIII pale brown laterally ( Fig. 2 ); fore wing brown in the middle and sub-apex, only four large, black vein setae present, the basal second vein setae pale ( Fig. 11 ). Head with numerous small tubercles, transversely reticulate posterior to ocellar triangle; three pairs of stout ocellar setae present ( Fig. 3 ), ocellar setae pair III arising within margin of ocellar triangle, pairs I and II shorter than pair III. Antennae 9-segmented, III–IV each with a small, forked sense cone. Pronotum reticulate, posteromarginal setae pairs I, III and IV longitudinally ridged, much larger than pair II. Mesonotum without small tubercles in reticles, metanotum median setae arising in the middle. Abdominal tergite VIII with complete posteromarginal comb, tergite IX without stout setae ( Fig. 7 ). Sternites without pore plates, VII with all 3 pairs of setae arising only slightly anterior to posterior margin ( Fig. 6 ), in contrast to female ( Fig. 5 ).

Measurements (male): Body length 670. Head, length 40; width across eyes 120; ocellar setae III 34. Pronotum, length 60; width 150; posteromarginal setae III and IV 35. Fore wing length 510. Antennal segments I–IX length (width) 14 (20), 26 (23), 25 (15), 24 (15), 26 (14), 20 (11), 7 (5), 7 (5), 10 (3).

Specimens studied. China, Hainan: Danzhou, Tropical Botanical Garden , 1 female from Maclura tricuspidata [ Moraceae ], 19.x.2014 (Chao Zhao), in SCAU; Qionghai, Gaofuchang, 50 females and 20 males from Smilax sp. , 16.xii.2021 (Zhaohong Wang) .

Figures

FIGURES 8–11. Ensiferothrips wallacei: 8–10. fore wing of females; 11. fore wing of males.

FIGURES 1–7. Ensiferothrips wallacei: 1. female; 2. male; 3. head and pronotum of male; 4. tergites VII–X of female; 5. sternites V–VII of female; 6. sternites V–VIII of male; 7. abdominal tergites of male.