Body uniformly dark brown; antennal segment III yellow in basal half; fore wing longitudinally darkened on posterior half and along costa, without a transverse dark band. Head longer than wide, without long setae, eyes prolonged ventrally; distal maxillary palp segment subdivided in several small units. Antennae 9-segmented; III & IV with linear sensorium, which is remarkably longer on IV; sensoria without internal markings, not curving around apex of segments. Pronotum smooth, with no long setae. Mesonotum transversely striate with two pairs of setae medially. Metanotum reticulate, reticles transverse toward posterior margin; median setae close to posterior margin of sclerite; paired campaniform sensilla present. Fore wing broad, with two rows of setae; costa with setae but no cilia. Abdominal tergite not I constricted at base, tergites with weak lines of sculpture; tergite X with pair of small trichobothria. Sternites III–VII with only two pairs of posteromarginal setae, with several discal setae.
Male smaller, without sternal pore plates; with a comb of long and closely set setae on hind tibiae.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
Erythrothrips is a New World genus that comprises 12 species of large dark and ant-mimic aeolothripids. The members of this genus are remarkable in having abdominal sternites bearing several discal setae, and maxillary and labial palps with distal segment subdivided into small units. Erythrothrips loripes is distinctive in having fore wings with longitudinal dark stripes and males with a comb of long and closely set setae on hind tibiae. A key to Erythrothrips species is provided by Mound & Marullo (1993).
Unknown; adults have been studied from Lonchocarpus campestris (Fabaceae).
Economic importance
Not recorded.
References suggested
Mound LA & Marullo R (1993) The Erythrothrips complex of tropical Aeolothripidae (Thysanoptera) with a new Australian genus and a new South African species. Entomologica Scandinavica 24: 285–291.
Published in: 23/12/2016 Posted by: Mariana Lindner
