Holopothrips flavisetis Lindner, Ferrari, Mound & Cavalleri, 2018: 36.

Original reference:Lindner MF; Ferrari A; Mound LA & Cavalleri A (2018) Holopothrips diversity—a Neotropical genus of gall-inducing insects (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae). Zootaxa 4494(1): 001–099.

Family

Phlaeothripidae, Phlaeothripinae

Nomenclatural information

https://thrips.info/wiki/Holopothrips_flavisetis

Diagnosis

Body brown, internal surface of femora lighter, fore tibiae light brown, fore tarsi brownish-yellow, mid and hind tarsi light brown; antennomeres I–II light brown, II lighter at apex; III yellow basally and weakly shaded on apical half, IV–VIII light brown; fore wings shaded, darker basally; major body setae yellow. Head about 0.8 times as long as the width behind eyes, dorsal surface with transverse lines of sculpture, weakly defined medially; postocular setae shorter than the length of a compound eye, with capitate apexes; maxillary stylets parallel and close together medially; mouth cone pointed. Antenna 8-segmented, III with 2 sense cones and IV with 2 or 3 sense cones. Pronotum without sculpture medially, notopleural sutures incomplete; 5 pairs of major pronotal setae, 1 pair on epimeral region; anteromarginal setae reduced, the other major setae well developed and with capitate apexes. Mesonotal sculpture formed by almost equiangular reticles medially and elongated laterally, without internal markings. Metanotum with 4–6 anterior discal setae and one major median pair; sculpture formed by weakly defined elongated reticles, without internal markings. Fore tarsal hamus small. Fore wings with about 7–9 duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular with anterior margin straight, one pair of campaniform sensilla present; sculpture formed by irregular to elongate reticles, without internal markings. Abdominal tergites with transverse lines of sculpture, forming few elongate reticles on tergite II; II–VII with two pairs of wing-retaining setae, sometimes a reduced third pair present. Both sexes macropterous.

Females have a swollen spermatheca. Males are slightly smaller, with pore plate on sternite VIII: small irregular spots medially, with punctuated texture.

Intraspecific variation

Antennal segment IV may bear 2 or 3 sense cones, sometimes varying within the same specimen. Some specimens may bear in few tergites a third non-sinuous setae, near the two pairs of wing-retaining setae.

Genus and similar species information

Holopothrips is a genus with about 60 known species, distributed almost exclusively in the Neotropics. Several species in this genus are associated to plant galls, as inducers or invaders, in plants of many families. Most Holopothrips species bear three pairs of wing-retaining setae on tergites II–VII, males have complex pore plates and frequently in other sternites besides VIII, and the female spermatheca is visible. About 40 species in this genus have been described or recorded from Brazil. Holopothrips flavisetis is similar to H. infestans in the appearance of metanotal sculpture and lack of a third pair of wing-retaining setae in all abdominal tergites; but it is easily differentiated for having the head wider than long, pelta with sinuous margins and swollen female spermatheca.

World distribution

Brazil.

Distribution in Brazil*

Rio Grande do Sul.

* Literature and authors' data.

Life history.

This species induces red-pigmented leaf galls in an unidentified species of family Myrtaceae.

Economic importance

Not recorded.

References suggested

Lindner MF; Ferrari A; Mound LA & Cavalleri A (2018) Holopothrips diversity—a Neotropical genus of gall-inducing insects (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae). Zootaxa 4494(1): 001–099.