Elaphrothrips laevicollis (Bagnall, 1910: 375).

Original reference: Bagnall RS (1910) A contribution towards a knowledge of the neotropical Thysanoptera. Journal of the Linnean Society Zoology 30: 369–387.

Family

Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae

Nomenclatural information 

https://thrips.info/wiki/Elaphrothrips_laevicollis 

Diagnosis

Female macropterous; body color mainly dark brown, with trochanters, fore tibiae and all tarsi yellowish; antennomeres I–II dark brown, III–IV yellow with brown apex, V–VI brown with yellow base, VII–VIII dark brown; wings hyaline to yellowish, with a dark median line. Antennae 8-segmented, antennomere III with 2 and IV with 3 sense cones, III longer than the other segments. Head longer than wide, strongly projected ahead of eyes; dorsal surface with two pairs of long setae (ocellar and postocular), other dorsal setae reduced or absent; cheeks with stout and short setae; eyes large, not projected ventrally; maxillary stylets parallel to each other, about 1/3 of head width apart. Pronotum reticulated, only the epimeral and posteroangular pairs of setae are long, remaining setae are all short; prosternal basantra present. Metanotum reticulated, with a pair of short median setae. Metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Pelta reticulated, triangular and broad, basal angles curved upwards. Abdomen reticulated, tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae and several smaller accessory setae. Tube cone-shaped, about 3.55x as long as basal width, without lateral setae. Fore legs are slightly more robust than the others, with many setae, fore tarsi without a tooth. Fore wings with 47–67 duplicated cilia.

Male macropterous. Similar to female, but the postocular setae are reduced or absent, fore legs are more swollen, and the fore tarsi have a large tooth. Pore plates absent.

Intraspecific variation

Unknown.

Genus and similar species information

Elaphrothrips is the Idolothripinae genus with the most described species, with almost 150 species widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. These thrips are usually large and dark-colored, distinguished from other Brazilian Idolothripinae (except Saurothrips) for having two pairs of wing-retaining setae on the abdominal tergites; in larger specimens, many accessory setae may be present in addition to the main wing-retaining pairs. Besides that, they have elongated head, major ocellar setae posterior to the anterior ocellus, basantra present, and tube shorter than the head, without lateral setae. Many species have high morphological diversity associated to size, wing-development and sex, which makes the distinction between species harder; and it is possible that many species in the genus will be identified as synonyms in the future.

Elaphrothrips laevicollis is one of the few brazilian species of the genus that has only 3 sense cones on antennomere IV, head projection wider than long and a reticulated pronotum; in males, the postocular setae is reduced or absent, and the posteromarginal setae on abdominal tergite IX are much shorter than the tube length.

Distribution around the world

Described from Venezuela and recorded from Brazil.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/29008

Life history

Lives in dead leaves, where it feeds on fungal spores.

Economic importance

Not recorded.

Suggested references

Bagnall RS (1910) A contribution towards a knowledge of the neotropical Thysanoptera. Journal of the Linnean Society Zoology 30: 369–387.

Palmer JM & Mound LA (1978) Nine genera of fungus-feeding Phlaeothripidae (Thysanoptera) from the Oriental Region. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 37: 153-215.

Johansen RM (1983) El genero Elaphrothrips Buffa, 1909 (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) en el continente Americano; su sistematica, evolucion, biogeografia y biologia. Monogr. Instituto de Biologia de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico 1: 1-267. 

Mound LA & Palmer JM (1983) The generic and tribal classification of spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 46: 1–174.