Mycterothrips latus (Bagnall)

Okajima, Masami Masumoto And Shûji, 2006, A revision of and key to the world species of Mycterothrips Trybom (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), Zootaxa 1261 (1261), pp. 1-90 : 65

Mycterothrips latus (Bagnall)

( Figs. 98–103)

Physothrips latus Bagnall, 1912: 191–192 .

Physothrips propinquus Bagnall, 1921: 62 . [Synonymy in Mound, 1968: 48.]

Taeniothrips latus (Bagnall) ; Priesner, 1925: 148.

Mycterothrips latus (Bagnall) ; Bhatti, 1969: 378.

Diagnosis: Body uniformly brown to dark brown. Head with cheeks slightly rounded ( Fig. 98). Ocellar setae I and II stout ( Fig. 98). Postocular setae III distinctly developed more than other setae, more than half length of ocellar setae III ( Fig. 98). Pronotum with 21–25 discal setae; anterior margin with a pair of conspicuous setae longer than discal setae ( Fig. 98). Mesonotum with a pair of CPS anteromedially; median pair of setae far from posterior margin ( Fig. 100). Metascutum transversely reticulated medially; median pair of setae near anterior margin ( Fig. 100). Metathoracic spinula not well developed, often reduced. Abdominal terga without ciliate microtrichia on lines of sculpture ( Fig. 101), but often with small dentate microtrichia; terga I–VIII with lines of sculpture except posteromedially ( Fig. 101); tergum II with three lateral marginal setae; terga VI to VIII with B4 setae minute; tergum IX with both anterior and posterior pairs of CPS; sterna without discal setae. Male has antennal segment VI almost as long as that of female, with microtrichia on both dorsal and ventral surfaces and with 9–10 setae ( Figs. 99, 102). Abdominal tergum IX with both anterior and posterior pairs of CPS, SB1 setae present and almost as long as B4 setae ( Fig. 103); sterna without discal setae. Hypomere expanded at apex.

Specimens examined. Scotland: 3 females, on Betula alba , 20­v­1928, G. D. Morison ( NHM) . 3males, on Betula alba , 30­vii­1926, G. D. Morison ( NHM) . England: 1 female, 24­vii­1961, C.I.E. M. Nelson ( NHM) . Germany: 1 female, Hessen, Hohe Rhön, NSG Rotes Moor , 830m, Betula pubescens Erhart , 7­vii­1982, R . zur Strassen ( TUA) .

Comments. This species can be distinguished easily from the other species by character states that are unique in this genus: postocular setae III setae strongly developed, metathoracic spinula very weak.