Megathrips Targioni-Tozzetti

Dang, Li-Hong & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2013, Review of the spore-feeding Idolothripinae from China (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), ZooKeys 345, pp. 1-28 : 18-20

Megathrips Targioni-Tozzetti

Remarks.

There are seven species listed in this genus, of which two, Megathrips lativentris and Megathrips antennatus , are recorded from northern China. The original description of Megathrips antennatus states that it differs in having the pelta divided into three parts in contrast to the European species Megathrips lativentris that has the two lobes narrowly joined to the median one (Figs 25, 26). However, we studied the types of Megathrips antennatus , and in one paratype the left lobe of the pelta is separated from median one but the right lobe is narrowly joined to the median one. Furthermore, a female and a male from England studied in ANIC show that the lateral lobes of pelta slightly joined to the median one, or close to separate (Fig. 47). As a result, Megathrips antennatus Guo, Feng & Duan (2005) is here considered to be a new synonym of Megathrips lativentris (Heeger). Mound and Palmer (1983) indicated that Megathrips could be distinguished from Bactrothrips only by the slightly larger head and more deeply retracted stylets. However, in China, Megathrips and Bactrothrips species are similar in having the stylets short and V-shaped, but the lateral lobes of the pelta are broadly fused to the median lobe in Bactrothrips species whereas these lateral lobes are separate or narrowly joined in Megathrips species ( Dang and Qiao 2012a).

Diagnosis.

Head usually longer than width across eyes, slightly prolonged in front of eyes; eyes normal; interocellar, postocellar, postocular and mid-dorsal setae usually well-developed; stylets far apart; antennae 8-segmented, segment III shorter than head width across eyes, segment III with 2 sensoria, IV with 4; pronotal major setae usually well developed, anteroangulars close to midlaterals, notopleural sutures incomplete; basantra present; mesopraesternum boat-shaped; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent; wings usually fully developed with numerous duplicated cilia; fore tarsal tooth absent in both sexes; pelta always broad, lateral lobes narrowly joined to median major lobe, or separated; abdominal tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae in macroptera; tergite VI with a pair of long lateral tubercles in male, tubercles on VIII small; tube usually shorter than head, with numerous lateral setae; anal setae shorter than tube.