Mycterothrips nilgiriensis (Ananthakrishnan)

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 : 67-71

Mycterothrips nilgiriensis (Ananthakrishnan)

( Figs. 104–117)

Rhopalandrothrips nilgiriensis Ananthakrishnan, 1960: 37–39 .

Rhopalandrothrips orchidii Ananthakrishnan, 1961 ; 263–264. [Synonymized by Bhatti, 1969: 378.]

Physothrips crotus Bhatti, 1962: 37–38 . [Synonymized by Bhatti, 1969: 378.]

Mycterothrips nilgiriensis (Ananthakrishnan) ; Bhatti, 1969: 378.

Mycterothrips ravidu s Wang, 1999: 236. Syn. nov.

Wang (1999) distinguished M. ravidus from M. nilgiriensis by the following character states: antennal segments II to VIII uniformly brown although I grayish brown, in contrast to segments II and III lighter than IV to VIII; also body setae comparatively darker and stronger than the latter species. However, all antennal segments are almost uniformly brown or dark brown in the allotype of R. nilgiriensis , also the holotype of P. crotus and a paratype female of M. ravidus studied by the present author, although some Indian and many Taiwanese specimens studied have antennal segment I distinctly paler than II to VIII which are almost uniform in colour. Moreover, body setae often appear to be stouter in specimens that have been strongly pressed by the cover glass as in the available paratype of M. ravidus . Thus, these two species cannot be distinguished from each other satisfactorily in either coloration of antennal segments or strength of body setae, therefore M. ravidus is recognized as synonym of M. nilgiriensis . However, further study is needed, based on good numbers of well mounted Indian specimens because most of the type series of R. nilgiriensis , R. orchidii and P. crotus are in poor condition, their bodies including heads shrunken, mounted laterally or pressured by cover slip. The shape of the head and mouth­cone cannot be observed correctly due to the poor condition of the head in these type­series. The holotype of P. crotus with the head mounted laterally has the mouth­cone apparently relatively long and pointed as in Taiwanese specimens. Therefore, in this species the mouth­cone is possibly longer and more pointed at the apex than in M. glycines and desleyae , although mouth­cone shape or length can only be observed correctly in wellmounted specimens.

In three females from Nepal, antennal segment IV is slightly stout and short but longer than VI, and segment III paler than typical specimens from Taiwan, but segment VI is gently tapering to the apex ( Fig. 107), and the mouth­cone straight at each side and relatively long ( Fig. 115). In one female from Queensland, Australia, antennal segments III and IV are slightly bulged at each side near the apex, more than in Taiwanese and Indian specimens, but segment VI is gently tapering to the apex ( Fig. 108), the mouth­cone is straight at each side and relatively long ( Fig. 116). Thus, there are few differences between these specimens and M. nilgiriensis and they are here considered as the same species. Moreover, another female from Australia, NSW, has abdominal tergum VI with B4 setae not minute as in M. desleyae , but has the mouth­cone with apex slightly exceeding the posterior margin of the pronotum ( Fig. 117), and has antennal segment III with a weak apical neck ( Fig. 109); this specimen is also recognized as M. nilgiriensis here.

Specimens examined. India: Holotype (male) and allotype of Rhopalandrothrips nilgiriensis [Nilgiris, Raj Bharau garden, on wild plant, 3­iv­1957, T. N. Ananthakrishnan; according to original description ( Ananthakrishnan, 1960), holotype male and a female on paer leaves, May 3, 1957, Pomological Station, Coonoor (5500'), India.] (BHC). Holotype (female) of Physothrips crotus [East Punjab, Hoshiarpur, Mandi Grounds (Govt. College Grounds), on flowers of Cassia sp. , 25­xii­1959, J. S. Bhatti] (BHC). Paratype (1 male) of Rhopalandrothrips orchidii [Kodaikanal, Shembag, on Cymbidium bicolor , 6­v­1959, T. N. Ananthakrishnan] (BHC). 3 females and 3males, Mussoorie, on Fern, 13­14­vi­1967, J. S. Bhatti (BHC). 1 male, Kosauli­Kalka track ca. 1.6 km from Kalka, on Eruca sativa , 7­ ii­1965, J. S. Bhatti (BHC). 1 female, Madras, wild beals, 11­ix­1994, T. N. Ananthakrishnan (BHC). Taiwan: Paratype (1 female) of M. ravidus, Tichung, Hshinchu , Five­peaks, young leaves of tree, v­1995, L. A. Mound (TARI). Paratype (1 male) of M. ravidus, Wufen, Nanshi river, on fern, 5­v­1994, C. L. Wang (TARI). 2 females and 9 males, Chiai­hsien, Kuantzulin, on determined tree leaves, 1­iv­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 1 males, Chiai­hsien, Kuantzulin, host unkown, 1­iv­1993, H. Urushihara (TUA). 2 females and 4 males, Chiai­hsien, Kuantzulin, on grass, 1­iv­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 1 female & 7 males, Chiai­hsien, Kuantzulin, host unkown, 2­iv­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 4 males, Chiai­hsien, Kuantzulin, on leaves of Pueraria thunbergiana [Leguminosae], 1­iv­1992, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 10 females and 5 males, Nantou­hsien, Nanshanchi, on bush, 25­iii­1984, S. Okajima (TUA). 29 females and 8 males, Nantou­hsien, Nanshanchi, host unknown, 3­iv­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 11 females and 19 males, Nantou­hsien, Nanshanchi, on leaves of Liquidambar formosana [ Hamamelidaceae ], 3­iv­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 1 female and 1 male, Nantou­hsien, Nanshanchi, on leaves of Passiflora coerulea [ Passifloraceae ], 3­iv­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). 1 male, Nantou­hsien, foot of Nonkao nr. Wanta, on grass, 1­iv­1984, S. Okajima (TUA). 12 females, Taoyuan­hsien, Mt. Lala­shan, on dead leaves and branches, 19­viii­1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima (TUA). Nepal: 3 females, Kathmandu Valley, Mt. Jamacok, host unknown, 14­v­1993, K. Matsumoto (TUA). Australia: 1 female, Queensland, Mt. Glorious State forest, on Agyrodendron actinophyllum, 14­21­i­1988, Yves Basset (ANIC). 1 female, New South Wales, Wiseman’s Ferry, on cucurbit creeper [ Cucurbitaceae ], 4­iv­1968, L. A. Mound (ANIC).