Original reference: Cavalleri A & Mound LA (2014) The neotropical flower-living genus Lenkothrips (Thysanoptera, Heterothripidae): three new species and an identification key. Zootaxa 3814: 581–590.
Body largely brown; tibiae brown medially, all tarsi yellow; antennal segments largely brown, I & II darker; basal half of III and basal third of IV yellow; fore wing brown with a pale sub-basal area. Head with no long setae and three pairs of ocellar setae present. Antennae 9-segmented; segments III & IV each with a long and continuous sensorial area extending laterally to the basal fifth. Pronotum with many lines of strong and transverse sculpture; without long setae. Mesonotum closely striate, distance between striae often narrower than pores of discal setae; metanotum with concentric lines bearing many microtrichia. Fore wing with two complete rows of strong, brown setae. Abdominal tergites I–VIII with independent fringe of posteromarginal microtrichia, well developed laterally on I–V but bearing only few teeth medially; lateral thirds covered with dense rows of fine microtrichia. Sternites with 6 pairs of posteromarginal setae arising well in front of posterior margin; sternites without discal setae.
Male smaller and paler than female; sternites IV–VIII each with one relatively small oval pore plate at antecostal ridge.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
The Lenkothrips genus comprises eight species of flower feeding thrips, all described from South America. These species resemble Heterothrips species in external morphology, but they differ in having the circumpolar sensorial areas on antennal segments III–IV extending into a continuous lateral loop to the base of their segments. L. kaminskii contrasts with the other Lenkothrips in having closely striate pronotum and mesonotum, and the male pore plates are relatively small and oval. An updated key to species is provided by Lima et al. (2024).
Flower-feeding species associated with Malpighiaceae.
Economic importance
Not recorded.
References suggested
Cavalleri A & Mound LA (2014) The neotropical flower-living genus Lenkothrips (Thysanoptera, Heterothripidae): three new species and an identification key. Zootaxa 3814: 581–590.
