Colour dark brown, paler in basal abdominal segments; all tarsi and tibiae largely yellow; antennal segments I–II & VII–IX brown, III–IV yellow, V–VI yellow basally; fore wings brown but paler at basal fourth. Head with three pairs of ocellar setae, pair III long and arising inside the ocellar triangle. Antennae 9-segmented, III & IV with forked sense cones; III with a characteristic swollen disc just above the pedicel; last four segments close together. Pronotum with few lines of sculpture and with only one pair of long posteroangular setae. Mesothoracic spinula long; metathoracic spinula absent. Metanotum with characteristic polygonal reticulation medially; paired campaniform sensilla present; two pairs of setae, median pair arising well behind the anterior margin. Tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing with first and second row of setae complete and closely spaced. Abdominal tergites II–VII with minute discal microtrichia on lateral thirds; II–VII with no posteromarginal microtrichia;VIII with a complete posteromarginal comb of very long microtrichia. Sternites without discal setae and with three pairs of long posteromarginal setae. Both sexes fully winged.
Male with large sternal pore plates and abdominal tergite IX with a pair of stout thorns.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
The genus Psectrothrips comprises seven species and it is distributed from southern Brazil to Mexico. All members have 9-segmented antennae and fore wings with a complete setal row on both veins. Two species are recorded from Brazil, Psectrothripslongiceps and P. interruptus, and although similar in general appearance the first is distinctive in having the median metanotal setae arising well behind the anterior margin. A key to species is provided by Mound & Marullo (1996).
World distribution
Described from Brazil, it is also recorded from Costa Rica.
Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.
Palmer JM & Mound LA (1985) New World Thripidae (Thysanoptera) with nine-segmented antennae. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society of London 84: 181–194.
Published in: 30/12/2016 Posted by: Mariana Lindner
