Elaphrothrips propinquus (Bagnall, 1910: 377).

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_propinquus 

Diagnosis

Male macropterous; body color mainly dark brown, all tibiae and 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 with shaded margins, and a dark median line. Antennae 8-segmented, antennomere III with 2 and IV with 4 sense cones, III longer than the other segments. Head longer than wide, strongly projected ahead of eyes; dorsal surface with only one pair of ocellar setae well developed; cheeks with stout and short setae; eyes large, not projected ventrally; maxillary stylets wide apart. Pronotum strongly reticulated, only the epimeral and posteroangular pairs of setae are long, remaining setae are 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 sculptured, tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae and several smaller accessory setae. Abdominal sternites without pore plates. Tube almost cylinder-shaped, slightly less than 5x as long as basal width, without lateral setae. Fore legs swollen, with many setae, fore tarsi with a large tooth. Fore wings with 43–56 duplicated cilia.

Female similar to male, but with a much shorter tarsal tooth and elongate postocular setae.

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 propinquus is one of the few brazilian species in the genus whose females bear a small tarsal tooth, while the majority of Elaphrothrips females lack a tarsal tooth. Moreover, this species has 4 sense cones on antennomere IV, a strongly reticulated pronotum, and posterior setae on abdominal tergite IX slightly shorter than the tube. The pair of postocular setae is elongate in females, but reduced or absent in males.

Distribution around the world

Described from Venezuela and recorded from Brazil.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/73493 

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.