Liothrips urichi Karny, 1924

Mound, Laurence A., Dang, Lihong & Tree, Desley J., 2023, The genus Liothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5306 (2), pp. 201-214 : 210

Liothrips urichi Karny

( Figs 5 , 24 , 39 )

Liothrips urichi Karny, 1924: 160

This species does not occur in Australia; but is included here because there is a possibility that it may be considered for introduction for the biocontrol of an invasive weed. It was described originally from Trinidad on the leaves of Clidemia hirta (= Miconia crenata ),a shrubby plant commonly known as Kosters curse in the family Melastomataceae . The plant is invasive of tropical pastures, and various attempts have been made to deploy L. urichi as a potential biocontrol agent. It was first introduced to Fiji in 1930, and aggregations of feeding larvae have, in sunny sites in Hawaii, been shown to reduce terminal growth of the plant but with a limited effect on flowering and fruiting ( Reimer & Beardsley 1989). Unfortunately, when the plants are growing in shaded areas the thrips does not seem to flourish. L. urichi is one of the members of the genus with the maxillary stylets deeply retracted into the head and usually extending into the hind margin of the eyes ( Fig. 5 ). Amongst such species, it is distinguished by the uniformly dark hind legs ( Fig. 39 ), reticulate metanotal sculpture ( Fig. 24 ), and elongate pointed mouth cone. In the male, sternite VIII is fully occupied by a pore plate, and tergite IX setae S2 are half as long as the S1 setae.

Specimens studied. HAWAII, North Kulani Road , 7 females 6 males from Clidemia hirta [ Melastomataceae ], 1.v.2020 ( T.Johnson), in ANIC; 5 females, one male on Miconia crenata , 01.iv.2021 (D. Comben), in QDPC (reared at Quarantine Laboratory from sample imported from Hawaii) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Australian Liothrips heads. (1) burwelli; (2) chavicae; (3) pallipes; (4) timonii; (5) urichi; (6) vaneeckei; (7) takahashi; (8) umbratus. (9) Pronotum of umbratus.

FIGURES 17–25. Australian Liothrips. Metanotum: (17) chavicae; (18) chionanthes; (19) burwelli; (20) pallipes; (21) takahashi; (22) timonii (23) umbratus; (24) urichi; (25) vaneeckei.

FIGURES 26–40. Australian Liothrips. Prosternum 26–28: (26) burwelli; (27) pallipes; (28) timoni. (29) Pronotum of chionanthes. Pelta & tergite II 30–35: (30) burwelli; (31) chavicae; (32) takahashi; (33) timonii; (34) umbratus; (35) vaneeckei. Hind tibiae 36–40: (36) timoni; (37) vaneeckei; (38) chavicae; (39) urichi. (40) Holotype of L. brevifemur.