Stenchaetothrips indicus (Ramakrishna & Margabandhu)

Ng, Y. F. & Mound, L. A., 2012, The Stenchaetothrips species (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) of Malaysia, with one new species, Zootaxa 3357, pp. 56-62 : 58

Stenchaetothrips indicus (Ramakrishna & Margabandhu)

Female macroptera. Body and legs clear yellow, abdominal segments VIII–X slightly darker ( Fig. 4); antennal segments I–V pale, V slightly shaded at extreme apex, VI light brown on distal third, VII light brown; fore wing pale. Head evenly convex in front ( Fig. 2); ocellar setae II long, but not twice as long as ocellar setae III; all post-ocellar setae long and subequal in length. Pronotum with more than 50 discal setae, widely spaced transverse striations at anterior and median area, and closely spaced striations near posterior margin; with 2 pairs of long, slender posteroangular setae, 5 pairs of short postero-marginal setae ( Fig. 2). Mesonotum with no anterior campaniform sensilla. Metanotum with closely spaced striations, campaniform sensilla absent, median setae arising far behind anterior margin. Meso- and metafurca each without a spinula; metasternum with about 30 discal setae. Abdominal tergites VI–VIII with paired ctenidia, V with a very weak pair; tergite I with a few striations across segment, II–VII without transverse striations medially; tergites II–VIII posterior margin simple, without microtrichia; submedian discal setae on VIII unusually long, extending beyond posterior margin ( Fig. 6); IX without anterior pair of campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 6). Sternites with no marginal microtrichia.

Specimens studied. MALAYSIA, Terengganu, Kuala Ibai, 5 females on Cymbopogen citratus, 9.xii.2011 (Ng, Y.F.) ( CISUKM; ANIC) .

Comments. The females identified here as S. indicus differ from those seen from Australia ( Mound 2011) in having the submedian discal setae on tergite VIII very long, extending beyond the posterior margin of the tergite. Similar specimens have been studied from Thailand and from Papua New Guinea, but the Australian specimens have this pair of setae not extending beyond the posterior margin of the segment. The specimens from Malaysia have numerous pronotal discal setae, but the number of these setae is considered to be variable in S. indicus ( Mound 2011) . One of these females has a complete row of setae on the first vein of one fore wing, although the other wing has the normal chaetotaxy of 3 or 4 setae on the distal half.